Prince Charles backs company with plans to stop cow burps from warming planet

Following a visit to the Royal College of Art, Prince Charles has supported an idea that will transform methane released by cow burps into carbon dioxide and water vapour. This will be accomplished by wrapping a methane collecting device in the shape of a mask over the animal’s head, capturing the gas and transferring it to a micro-sized catalytic converter before releasing it into the atmosphere. The business behind this is called Zelp, and it claims that testing has demonstrated a 53% reduction in methane emissions, which it expects to increase to 60% by next year.

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Cows emit a lot of methane and carbon dioxide, both of which contribute significantly to climate change. According to Zelp, it has also been discovered that more than 95% of these emissions are produced from their mouth and nose. The business has begun collaborating with one of the top meat manufacturers in the United Kingdom to assist test its gadgets on cattle.

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According to The Telegraph, Prince Charles called the device “fascinating” and communicated with its inventors. “May I say that it is critical because of the urgency we face in terms of the crisis confronting us in all directions and just how important is what their ideas represent in terms of finding solutions rapidly… I can only hope as a result of this and drawing more attention to what you are doing that we will have a better chance of winning this battle in a shorter time. I can only wish you every possible success. Many congratulations, marvellous,” he remarked.

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The idea, along with three others, received a 50,000-pound reward as part of the Prince’s Sustainable Markets Initiative.