A RED-LETTER DAY FOR GREEN AMMONIA
BY GEOFF GEDDES
To stay in the black while greening the planet is a constant challenge for agriculture. The production of ammonia-based fertilizer is a carbon intensive process. In response, FuelPositive Corporation has developed a cutting-edge fertilizer production system to be operational on a Manitoba farm upon approval by Manitoba Hydro. This green ammonia equipment is pitched as friendly for the environment and the farm bottom line.
“The term ‘green ammonia’ means it is produced without any carbon involvement,” said Ian Clifford, co-founder of the Waterloo, ON, company. “The conventional process of producing ammonia is a huge consumer of fossil fuel, so we need a carbon-free source of energy to drive the process instead.”
The FuelPositive system efficiently uses green electricity to produce hydrogen and nitrogen, which are derived from water and air respectively, said Clifford. “We take hydrogen and nitrogen, expose them to pressure and temperature, and combine the molecules through a catalyst to produce green NH3,” he said. “The NH3 is produced on-farm without carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.”
In doing so, FuelPositive also addresses the two biggest fertilizer issues faced by farmers. “The price and supply of ammonia are both highly unstable,” said Clifford. “Fertilizer prices have gone through the roof in recent years and now represent the biggest input cost for many growers.”
Since you can’t make green ammonia without a green electricity source, the company has initially chosen Manitoba for its rollout. “Manitoba benefits from a green, low-cost hydroelectric grid,” said Clifford. “In contrast, provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan rely on carbon-intensive electricity.” The company intends to support farmers in these provinces to pair FuelPositive systems with green, on-farm electricity generation.
Regardless of location, water supply should not pose a problem. “Water use is minimal,” said Clifford. “Producing 500 tonnes of ammonia a year only requires about 2,400 litres of water per day. We can use municipal water, well water or pond water. If it is filtered and adjusted properly, it works.”
Curtis Hiebert has adopted the FuelPositive system on his 11,000-acre farm near Sperling, MB. To Clifford’s knowledge, this will be the first farmer-owned, green ammonia production system in the world. The farm uses 400 to 600 tonnes of anhydrous ammonia per year. While FuelPositive’s demonstration system will produce just 100 tonnes annually, it is intended to serve as proof of concept and facilitate wider adoption of the system on farms across Manitoba and beyond. The company is now marketing a 500 tonne per year system to meet the demands of larger farms. “With this real-world demonstration, we will show the reliability and profitability of the system,” said Clifford. “The only input cost is the price per kilowatt hour of electricity.”
Hiebert sees the potential of FuelPositive to benefit his business. “We are constantly dealing with fertilizer supply issues and price volatility,” he said. “When they run out of product in Portage la Prairie and have to get it from Brandon or Saskatchewan, we sometimes have to wait, as everyone wants it at the same time. If we can produce green ammonia at our farm economically and control the supply, filling our tanks right in the yard, that’s a huge advantage.”
To this end, FuelPositive is working to secure the last certifications required to operate the system, and Clifford can’t wait for the big day. “We are weeks away from activation. By giving farmers the ability to produce their own nitrogen supply, we are strengthening their resilience and long-term security. This kind of control helps stabilize operations in a sector that has always faced unpredictable conditions. It puts power back where it belongs—in the hands of farmers.”
Comments