Randomized trial assesses ammonia reduction strategies in Irish agriculture, highlighting cost-effectiveness and technology impacts.
Key Points
This research aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ammonia mitigation strategies in Irish agriculture and their potential to meet emission reduction targets.
Examined 13 mitigation measures relevant to bovine, pig, and poultry farms.
Modeled scenarios for economic activities (business as usual, lower, higher) and technology adoption rates (lower, moderate, higher) from 2022 to 2033.
Analyzed the cost-effectiveness of various measures, noting their ability to achieve EU ammonia emission targets.
Ammonia mitigation potential varied, with low-emission slurry spreading achieving up to 5.22 kt/yr on bovine farms.
Measures like urea stabilized with a urease inhibitor were cost-negative across all scenarios and adoption rates.
Moderate and higher technology adoption rates can help Ireland meet EU ammonia reduction commitments, especially under lower economic activity scenarios.