It strains credulity, but there is a plan in Richland, WA to make carbon free ammonia.
Most of the world's ammonia is made from hydrogen obtained from the reformation of dangerous fossil fuels, chiefly dangerous natural gas, but also dangerous coal and dangerous petroleum. Anywhere from 1 to 3% of the world's energy demand, depending on where and when you read is consumed in this fashion, is to make ammonia in what is known as the Haber-Bosch process.
It's a huge carbon emitter since the reduction of water in reforming is accomplished by the oxidation of carbon and/or carbon compounds to CO2. (CO is the intermediate in this process, the "water gas" reaction.)
Somehow or another I came across this article in the News Tribune (Tacoma, WA)
World’s 1st carbon-free fertilizer plant to be built in Richland, WA. Price tag is $1B
Excerpts:
Atlas Agro said it will disrupt the fertilizer industry by producing nitrogen products with zero carbon emissions. The Richland plant will be the first of its kind in the world and will support 1,000 local jobs. It is expected to begin operating in 2027.
The Pacific Green Fertilizer Plant will convert nitrogen from the air into fertilizers to feed plants. Products will ship product to farmers and customers by electric vehicles as part of Atlas’s commitment to decarbonize the food supply chain, according to Dan Holmes, Atlas Agro’s executive director for North America...
...The massive Richland plant will boast five independent production units and will require 280 megawatts of “new power” to operate. The company indicated it will rely on new nuclear to fuel its operations without providing additional details...
I have begun to see in the literature a number of electrolytic ammonia production schemes at lab scale. If someone plans to scale one up, it's news to me, but of course, there is a huge limit to what I can know.
I do believe it should be possible to build small nuclear plants in four or five years, but this has yet to be demonstrated although a lot of work is being done to realize this goal.
If the design of the plant is to electrolytically produce hydrogen and then conduct a Haber-Bosch type process, that would be less impressive.
This is an article from a journalist based on a corporate press release so it might be worth taking with a grain of salt.
I do wish it well though.
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