New Holland’s T6 Methane Power Tractor is a star attraction at Expo Milano 2015. Parked on the sloping roof of the company’s sustainable farm pavilion, the second generation prototype produces 80% lower CO2 emissions than a standard tractor. Powered 100% by methane gas, the novel version of the company’s T6.140 retains the standard diesel engine, and provides the same visibility and operational ground clearance as the standard model.  The engine is fed with methane gas stored in nine separate tanks. Integrated into the overall design and providing a total capacity of 50kg, under normal conditions this is sufficient for half a day’s operation. The company’s ultimate objective is a sustainable future where farms will generate methane through renewable biomass produced from a biogas plant. When using bio-methane, the company says the tractor’s carbon impact is virtually zero, and cost savings between 25% and 40% can be achieved when compared with conventional fuels. There is no rush to get out your cheque book just yet though because it could be another 3-5 years before the tractor is ready for a market launch. As soon as the 184-day show is over the tractor will return to a test farm near Turin for further evaluation work. Over 20 million visitors are expected at the Expo. Covering over 1.1 million sq.m., the six-month event ends on October 31. The theme this year is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’.