CNH’s latest "A Sustainable Year" story spotlights French farmer and pioneering biomethane producer, Christophe Rousseau, who was approached by New Holland to trial the T7 Methane Power tractor.
The T7 Methane Power develops just as much power as the diesel-powered T7.270. But by rethinking the fuel storage layout, New Holland engineers have created a tractor with a tank capable of holding a total of 657 liters (173 gallons) of gas and still within the design envelope of its diesel cousin. This results in much greater capacity than its smaller T6 precursor, enabling it to run for many more hours between refueling stops, while working with bigger implements or hauling heavier loads.
"But the use of biomethane-powered tractors can only become widespread once the supporting infrastructure is in place, a challenge that CNH is addressing through innovation and industry partnerships," according to the company.
In the UK, the company has invested in renewable agricultural start-up Bennamann to develop small-scale on-farm refueling stations so farmers can fuel their tractors from their own biogas micro-digesters that process manure from dairy herds.
In France, meantime, New Holland works with agro-entrepreneurs like Rousseau to explore the practicalities of using methane-powered tractors.
As a leading light in the Association des Agriculteurs Méthaniseurs de France (AAMF) [Association of French Agricultural Biogas Producers], Rousseau has a wealth of expertise in the everyday challenges and economics of developing the use of biogas.
He runs a thousand-hectare (2,470-acre) livestock and cereal farm, the Ferme de Come, in Burgundy, France. Besides fattening cattle and selling meat direct to the public, Rousseau has taken a close interest in the shift to clean energy. He has installed solar panels on the roofs of the farm buildings and built a biogas and cogeneration plant which generates 500 kWh of electricity, fed by manure from his herd.
Rousseau’s farm in Domecy-sur-Cure demonstrates what’s possible. It’s a vivid example of how renewable energy can inspire modern agriculture.
Looking across the European continent, there’s every reason to foresee a bright future for biogas-powered farm machinery. At end-March 2025, the European Biogas Association (EBA) counted 1,678 biogas plants in Europe, up 9% year-over-year. France topped the ranking with 760 plants, followed by Germany, Italy and the UK.
Rousseau applauds the way CNH and New Holland are leading the development of methane-powered machinery worldwide. The T7.270 Methane Power performs every bit as well as the diesel variant, he says. With the right incentives toward the biogas sector, he’s convinced biogas has a great future in Europe.
"As the story of the T7 Methane Power shows, developing more sustainable farming practices doesn’t begin or end at the farmyard gate. It takes hard work and determined collaboration between farmers, innovators and policy-makers to create a whole new energy ecosystem," the company said.
