Clean ammonia isn't perfect.

There are risks involved in transitioning to clean ammonia production methods.

And we're saying this as clean ammonia producers.

Risky, we know.

But here's the thing...

We are not a silver bullet solution.

We are not perfect.

We are not the answer to all of the world's climate problems.

No one is.

It is as important for us to stay aware of the risks and flaws in what we do, as it is to understand the impact.

Without this awareness, how can we grow and improve?

Firstly, let's recap...

What is Clean Ammonia?

Ammonia production using the traditional Haber-Bosch methods is the most polluting chemical process on the planet. Read more here.

Replacing the current Haber-Bosch derived global ammonia market with Nium’s cleaner alternative can eliminate 1-2% of global CO2 emissions from agriculture, a further 3% from shipping and expedite the replacement of grey hydrogen with green hydrogen around the world. In terms of emissions reduction clean ammonia is an archimedes lever - a chance for massive impact at a critical time.

But it is not a silver bullet for all our environmental challenges.

Emissions reduction, while urgent, is only part of the solution. What will clean ammonia on demand mean for the rest of our natural systems, our water, our air, our land?

Nium can drive positive impact by:

- Reducing impact on planetary systems due to less energy requirements than electrified Haber-Bosch;

- Following science-aligned guidelines when choosing hydrogen partnerships (i.e. prioritising green hydrogen from hydro, wind and solar sources while avoiding grid and bioenergy unless from waste);

- Vetting hydrogen partnerships and choosing sites which avoid new ecosystem degradation;

- Listening to local communities when designing projects.

Clean Ammonia offers many environmental benefits:

1. Decentralisation

- Lower energetic costs. Our proprietary catalyst technology makes ammonia possible at much milder conditions than the Haber-Bosch process.

- The decoupling of ammonia production and fossil fuels.

- Local production of clean ammonia on demand.

2. Decarbonisation

- Elimination of grey/brown hydrogen in the ammonia production process.

- Recoupling with clean hydrogen at local sites, ammonia powered by renewables.

- Shorter supply chains and transport costs, less indiscriminate spreading of bulk delivered ammonia.

- More targeted ‘just in time’ application at point of production, less wastage and transport emissions.

3. Democratisation

- More independence for fertiliser producers and farmers.

- Less reliance on global supply chains, middle men and poorly regulated foreign suppliers.

What are the risks and challenges associated with clean ammonia production?

In a report which will be released at the end of the month, Nium have explored the potential risk factors associated with clean ammonia for agricultural fertilizers.

Below are some of the identified risk factors and considerations which we explore in that report.

Make sure to follow Nium to read the full report when released.

What we've learnt

1. Ammonia is a backbone of global food systems, and the most CO2-emitting chemical industrial process on the planet.?

2. Clean Ammonia is expected to play an essential role in global decarbonisation.?

3. Nium’s patent pending nanotechnologies, housed in small scale reactors (the mighty minions), allow ‘clean ammonia’ to be synthesised ‘on demand’.?

4. Clean ammonia on demand has the potential to eliminate up to 300 MtCO2eq from ammonia production and 320 MtCO2eq in the value chain now - 19.6 Gt by 2100.?

5. With 5-8 Mt of ammonia on the fertiliser market (3-6% market share), Nium would reach its goal of eliminating 10 MtCO2eq by 2030. That’s the reason why we exist: to eliminate emissions.?

6. But in addressing the climate crisis, we must not incur in burden-shifting, where impact on climate change is replaced with impact on other vital planetary systems.?

7. We look at impacts of the clean ammonia value chain for three reasons:?

Mission: To ensure we have the right baselines, and to potentialize our impact on eliminating emissions.?

Business strategy: With growing awareness of broader environmental impacts by investors and regulators, we want to be ahead of the game while promoting co-benefits like better yields.?

Purpose: Maximising positive impact in our value chain, we help secure a better planet for future generations.?

8. Impacts of our value chain (due to renewable energy, hydrogen production, nutrient loss and conventional agriculture) demand that we make informed choices, listen to science and to local communities. To deploy our technology driving broader positive change, we need infinite invention - from Nium and our partners.?

9. Nium is well-situated to drive positive change because:?

? We’re decarbonising essential sectors in the economy.?

? Our flexibility allows us to grow sustainably in different markets.?

? We can act as a bridge between them to drive positive change synergically.?

? We’re helping align them with a decarbonised, decentralised, and democratised future.?

10. Our sustainability strategy is simple: We’re catalysts for change. In our theory of change, a new nanotechnological paradigm is an opportunity to change the system. We do it by having a systemic view and working synergically?across sectors, bridging the old and the new, and having a vision of a better future.

Follow Nium if you are interested in reading the full report, being released later this month.

#greenammonia #nium #wearenium #cleanammonia #greenfuture