FuelPositive’s Technology Brings On-Farm Ammonia Production Closer to Commercialization

Canadian company FuelPositive is on the verge of commercializing a groundbreaking technology that allows farmers to produce their own ammonia-based fertilizer, reports FutureFarming. Thanks to the free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada, this innovative technology will also be accessible to European farmers, including those in Romania.

Efficient Use of Ammonia

The containerized, scalable system developed by FuelPositive (FP) in Manitoba produces green anhydrous ammonia (NH₃) using only air and water, powered by electricity either generated on the farm or sourced from a sustainable local utility. The system is both self-monitored and remotely monitored.

The need for such a system arises from the high cost of nitrogen fertilizer, which represents the largest input expense for crop production.

"By producing their own NH₃, farmers can also mitigate fertilizer availability risks," says FP CEO and co-founder Ian Clifford. "Ammonia can eventually be used to power internal combustion engines on farms or grain drying systems as a replacement for propane."

The FP System Consists of Four Key Components:

• A nitrogen generator that extracts nitrogen from the air
• A water electrolyzer that produces hydrogen from water (two types are currently being evaluated in the Manitoba pilot project)
• A proprietary ammonia synthesis converter that combines nitrogen and hydrogen to produce green ammonia
• Ammonia storage

Costs and Key Considerations

The estimated base price for a system capable of producing 500 tons per year is around $5 million USD (€3.39 million).

Return on investment calculations must factor in the cost of electricity (whether generated on-farm or sourced externally) and the market price of ammonia, which the FP system is designed to replace. Clifford notes that another key factor in the investment decision is whether individual farmers or a group of farmers purchase the system.

In any case, "there must be adequate access to water," he explains, "as the system requires 2,400 liters per day."

Technical Updates

The system's demonstration unit, located on a farm in Manitoba owned by the Hieberts family, is powered by Manitoba’s carbon-free grid electricity, supplemented by the family’s 200 kW solar array.

To develop the system, FuelPositive leveraged investor capital (including contributions from farmers) and received $1.9 million USD (€1.29 million) in federal and provincial funding.

Tests on gas composition and purity (H, N, and their combination into NH₃) have been conducted continuously. Clifford highlights that hydrogen purity (produced from water by the system) is critical, as it significantly impacts system performance and ammonia production rates.

Independent validation has been completed for FP’s proprietary ammonia synthesis converters, the nitrogen production system, and the overall system. The company is now entering the final phase of pressure vessel certification and third-party engineering approvals.

"We continue to raise capital as a publicly traded company on the Toronto Venture Exchange and are also actively seeking provincial funding to cover remaining activation costs and support the transition to commercialization," Clifford says. "We are very excited about bringing the system to market, which we expect to happen in early spring 2025."

Technology Overview

• Technology stage: Testing completed for the demonstration unit (on a farm in Manitoba, Canada)
• Estimated commercialization date: Early spring 2025
• Base unit capacity: 300 kg/day (or 100 tons/year) of anhydrous ammonia, sufficient for approximately 2,000 acres/year
• Water consumption: 476 liters/day
• Electricity requirements (for off-grid solar/wind option): 800 kW array with energy storage
• Base module size: Five standard 20-foot containers
• System lifespan: Several decades, with periodic upgrades