By Scout Nelson
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is working to establish a green fertilizer industry, utilizing renewable energy to reduce emissions and strengthen local agriculture. This initiative is the first of its kind in the nation, supported by a $7 million grant program to build infrastructure.
Innovative research from the University of Minnesota Morris has developed technology to produce ammonia using wind energy, marking a major step toward distributed fertilizer production in the state. Current nitrogen fertilizer production is energy-intensive and relies heavily on imports, with significant greenhouse gas emissions.
MDA Energy and Environment leader Megan Lennon explains, “Nitrogen fertilizer production produces about two percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. So green fertilizer has a climate benefit.”
The new industry aims to offer farmers alternatives to the current consolidated supply chain. Producing fertilizer locally would help keep profits within Minnesota while reducing dependence on global markets.
Two production models are proposed. The first involves small facilities powered by on-site wind or solar energy to create ammonia. The second envisions larger facilities co-located with ethanol plants, which would use waste carbon dioxide to produce urea, a common fertilizer. Lennon highlights the potential, “If you produce 150,000 tons of urea per year, that would be enough nitrogen fertilizer for about a million acres.”
The Minnesota Farmers Union has expressed optimism about the initiative’s potential to support family farmers and rural communities. The green ammonia summit held on December 10 emphasized the program’s economic and environmental benefits.
Federal tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act are expected to further support this innovative industry, making renewable fertilizer production economically viable. This initiative represents a significant step toward sustainable agriculture and a cleaner environment.
Photo Credit:minnesota-department-of-agriculture
Categories: Minnesota, Energy, General