High-tech for the straw harvest: VERBIO deploys two new tractors and straw balers

The machines have only recently been on the market and are state-of-the-art in terms of technology and climate friendliness. VERBIO is one of the first users.

VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG is driving forward the modernisation of its straw harvest technology. The biofuels company has invested in two highly innovative tractors and straw balers supplied by New Holland. The Big Baler 1290 HighDensity models have only been on the market for a short time and represent state-of-the-art technology in their field. VERBIO is one of the first companies in the country to use these machines.

Close cooperation with agriculture

Over the coming weeks and months the new machines will be in use in the fields surrounding VERBIO’s biorefineries in Schwedt and Pinnow in Brandenburg. VERBIO processes the baled straw, converting it to biomethane that is used as a fuel for passenger and heavy goods vehicles. “Straw in the fuel tank” achieves CO₂ reductions of up to 90 percent compared to petrol and diesel, enabling vehicles to be almost climate-neutral.

VERBIO biomethane, a BioCNG in gas form, is currently available at 200 filling stations across Germany. From the Autumn of 2021 verbiogas for transport and logistics companies will also be available in fluid form as BioLNG at VERBIO’s own LNG filling stations in Zörbig (on the A9) and Schwedt.

VERBIO buys its straw from farmers in the region “from the rake”, i.e. more or less direct from the field immediately after the harvest. From that point, VERBIO’s own team based at the Heinersdorf services centre is responsible for collecting and storing the straw. This supports local agriculture by increasing the efficiency of their cultivation and harvest activities.

“As the largest processor of straw in East Germany, it is important for us to be at the forefront of technology at all times. We chose New Holland balers because we are convinced about the performance that these machines can offer. They have the highest bale densities on the market and ensure that surplus straw in the fields is collected quickly. This benefits both the farmers that we support as well as our team, whose work will be significantly easier during the challenging harvest period.”

Bernd Sauter, Management Board member responsible for Procurement and Logistics at VERBIO

The most modern technology for lower CO₂ emissions and increased efficiency

The two new New Holland T7.315 HeavyDuty tractors have the most efficient engines and the most effective and lowest maintenance emissions treatment systems currently available on the market. They will make a contribution to optimising the carbon footprint of VERBIO’s biomethane value-added chain.

The straw balers make use of innovative technologies to optimise the collection of straw. The New Holland Big Baler 1290 HighDensity features a unique gearbox designed to ensure a simplified start-up of the baler. To date, most balers have needed an additional engine for start-up purposes. In contrast, the new models of New Holland straw balers do not need any additional starters and are the basis of a completely new concept for big baler systems.

Another new feature is the LoopMasterTM double knotter technology, which uses a fabric hem. The new knotter prevents offcuts from the twine used to bind the straw being left behind in the straw bales or in the field. This saves 58 centimetres of twine per bale compared to current balers – for every 10,000 straw bales produced, this represents a saving of close to 6 kilometres of twine offcuts annually. In this way the balers make an effective contribution to reducing pollution of the fields and the straw bales.

Together with an innovative axle concept, which adjusts itself perfectly to every detail of the ground below it, minimising the wear and tear on wheels, the Big Baler 1290 HighDensity is the state of the art in the big baler segment.

Regional partnership

VERBIO has purchased the equipment from NewTec Ost Vertriebsgesellschaft für Agrartechnik in Passow, a company that is specialised in highly modern agricultural machinery. “We are very pleased that VERBIO is using these innovative New Holland balers. It is important that agriculture keeps pace with modern demands. Climate protection, digitalisation and improving efficiency are all part of this. We help enable agricultural businesses to keep their machine parks up to date on an ongoing basis. VERBIO is a company that sets standards in the use of its technologies and equipment to process agricultural raw material and waste products to make mobility sustainable and environmentally friendly. A partner like VERBIO helps innovation to make breakthroughs in the agricultural sector,” said Florian Schröder, the branch manager of NewTec Ost GmbH.

Bernd Sauter added, “The best technology can only work with competent service on the spot. We are convinced that we have a strong partner in NewTec, a partner that is a guarantee for professional support.”

Is “Straw in the fuel tank” also possible in the agricultural sector?

The tractors that company is placing into service now are powered by diesel. However, for this year’s harvest VERBIO will also make use of the 180 ps CNG New Holland tractor and test it in practice.