The war in Iran and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have exposed the vulnerability of the global nitrogen fertiliser supply chain. The focus now is on start-ups developing alternatives to conventional, gas-intensive production. Technologies ranging from green ammonia and plasma-based production to CCS and biological approaches offer potential ways to cut emissions, but none can yet compete with the scale and cost of the established Haber-Bosch process.
Future Cleantech Architects cleantech analyst James Lazenby therefore sees improving the efficiency of fertiliser use — through more precise application and better matching of dosage and timing to crop needs — as the most important available lever for reducing emissions in the short term.
Learn more about in this month’s article from Handelsblatt:
This article is the latest in the series “Green ideas that might change the world” that Handelsblatt and Future Cleantech Architects co-developed to shed light on some of the most intensively debated cleantech innovations. We are pleased to provide scientific guidance to the series. Stay tuned for new releases!