Ammonia, manufactured with ‘a zero’ carbon footprint, should be commercially available within the next two years.
The claim was made today (Thursday, July 20) by an Israel-based development business, Nitrofix.
The company’s patented technology uses water as a source of protons instead of fossil fuels.
It is also claimed that the new system reduces the activation energy needed to combine nitrogen with hydrogen – using half as much electricity as other alternatives working within this sphere of technology.
Ammonia
Unlike traditional carbon-intensive ammonia methods, the Nitrofix catalyst for ammonia enables electrochemical reactions to take place at low-voltage and low-power consumption levels.
Up to now, ammonia has been produced commercially, for the most part, using the Haber-Bosch process, which is very fossil fuel reliant.
Nitrofix’s CEO, Ophira Melamed, told Agriland: “We guarantee the production of ammonia with a zero carbon footprint. Our system is based on an electrochemical process.
“Energy will be required to drive this process. However, this can be sourced on a totally renewable basis.”
According to Nitrofix, global ammonia demand is expected to increase threefold by 2050. The chemical can be used within a range of scenarios.
These include the production of fertilisers for use within production agriculture. Ammonia is also used as a coolant in air conditioning and is a maritime fuel source.
Within agriculture, ammonia is used directly as a nitrogen fertiliser source in countries like the US. It is also used in the production of urea.
Nitrofix hopes to sell its ammonia manufacturing systems to customers around the world over the coming years.
According to Melamed, the new Nitrofix technology will act to break the link between ammonia production and natural gas prices.
The ammonia price will then become linked to the strength, or otherwise, of renewable energy markets.
Fertiliser prices
Currently, in excess of 50% of global food production is dependent upon access to ammonia.
Nitrofix has also confirmed the securing of US$3.1 million in seed financing to accelerate the development processes associated with its ammonia production-related systems.
Meanwhile, international markets for ammonia and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) are strengthening.
Grassland Agro managing director, Liam Woulfe, has confirmed that prices for urea and CAN have increased by €80/t and €40/t respectively over the past fortnight.
“These trends will be reflected in Irish fertiliser prices during the period ahead. But the trade will act to keep such increases to the absolute minimum,” he told Agriland.