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Can Corn Fuel 900 Global Journeys

6 min read
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Kai Vector

Europe’s “Biggest Maize Mountain”? Not Quite — And It Won’t Fuel 900 Trips Around the World

Short answer: No. The maize pile at Brokenlande is impressive, but current evidence points to about 49,000 tons harvested — not 70,000 — and the energy would power roughly 375–550 laps around Earth, not 900. The site also doesn’t appear to dispense biomethane to trucks at the A7 as claimed. Here’s what really holds up — and what doesn’t.

The Eye‑Catcher vs. The Evidence

Let’s start with the most surprising correction: the headline‑making “70,000 tons” and “largest in Europe” claims don’t check out. What is solid is still remarkable: two forage harvester chains brought in about 49,000 tons of silage maize in just ten days for ARA Biogas Brokenlande in Schleswig‑Holstein. That’s a monster harvest — just not the 70,000‑ton mountain billed as a European one‑off.

Also, the story calls the harvesters “Mähdrescher” (grain combines). That’s simply wrong for silage maize. These were forage harvesters (Häcksler) — the machines that chop whole plants for silage.

Where This Mountain Actually Sits — And Who Runs It

The site is real and traceable: ARA Biogas Brokenlande GmbH & Co. KG, in the Großenaspe municipality (district Brokenlande), managed by Christian Saul. The article’s “Brokenfelde” looks like a typo.

Fuel for 900 Earth Loops? Let’s Do the Math

The article claims the pile could power a truck for “35 million km” — almost 900 times around the globe. That figure is unsubstantiated and optimistic.

Real‑world gas truck energy use is roughly 25 kg methane per 100 km. With 13.9 kWh/kg, that’s about 3.5 kWh per km. Sources: industry consumption example https://translogistiknews.de/news/was-bringt-ein-erdgas-antrieb-lng-lkw-statt-dieselfahrzeuge-fuer-die-logistik/

So the “35 million km” (≈900 laps) needs far lower energy use per km than typical heavy trucks achieve. It’s an optimistic, not a documented, estimate.

Does This Biogas Fuel Trucks at the A7?

The article paints a vivid picture: maize in, biomethane out, trucks refueled at the site by the A7. But public listings and the operator’s site tell a different story.

In short: the site appears to help supply electricity, not run a public bio‑CNG/LNG pump for trucks on the A7.

“E‑Tankstelle for 15 Cars and Trucks” — On Site?

This count doesn’t line up cleanly with public data.

Conclusion: “15 on‑site” is unverified/likely overstated.

How Big Is the Pile, Physically?

The article cites a base of 100 m × 100 m and a height of at least 15 m. Similar heights exist at other sites (16 m piles are known), so it’s plausible. But for Brokenlande’s 2025 pile, precise dimensions weren’t independently confirmed in public sources.

The “about 400 parking spaces” comparison is reasonable: 10,000 m² at ~25 m² per car space (including lanes) ≈ 400.

Germany’s 2025 Silage Maize Picture

Nationally, the numbers in the article are basically right: around 1.96 million hectares and 84.2 million tons of silage maize in 2025. Calling it “average after a wet summer” is interpretation; the data itself is sound.

What’s Verified vs. What Needs More Proof

What we know

Needs confirmation or is misleading

Simply incorrect

Unverified but plausible

How We Checked

Bottom Line

It’s a genuine feat of modern agriculture and energy — and still a good story — once the hype is peeled back to the facts.