Scaling down the Haber-Bosch process

Optimising and miniaturising the Haber-Bosch process (currently designed for large-scale ammonia production) to increase decentralized production with enhanced efficiency, cost-effectiveness and reduced carbon emissions.

Readiness Level

Priorities for scaling

high-risk pilotingcatalysing development

Scaling down the H-B synthesis loop refers to optimising and miniaturising the Haber-Bosch process, which is currently designed for large-scale ammonia production. This innovation seeks to enhance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability, making it more compatible with renewable energy sources and fostering equitable access to fertilizers. The application can be extended to both the traditional Haber-Bosch loop and the Haber-Bosch loop for green hydrogen-based ammonia. In this case, coupling with green hydrogen-based ammonia is presumed.

Food System Area

agricultural inputs & primary production practiceshandling, storage and transport/distributioneducational, outreach and empowerment

The overarching goal of scaling down the Haber-Bosch loop is to mitigate energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions, and diminish the reliance on fossil fuels associated with conventional ammonia production methods. This is achieved through improved heat transfer efficiency, lower energy requirements, and reaction condition optimization in regards to energy losses and carbon emissions, reduced infrastructure demands, and the seamless integration of renewable energy sources.

Problem area

reducing agricultural footprintpromote sustainable rural livelihoods

What impact could it have?

Human health impact

low - medium

The innovation offers low to medium direct benefits to human health. Its primary impact lies in the reduction of air pollution and associated health risks resulting from the decarbonization of the ammonia production process.

Environmental impact

high

The environmental impacts of this innovation are potentially significant. Direct benefits include increased energy efficiency through the scaling down of the Haber-Bosch loop, enabling better utilization of renewable energy sources and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions within the Haber-Bosch process. Furthermore, the innovation offers resource conservation, including water conservation and minimized land use requirements. Additionally, it can serve as a means of renewable energy storage, further enhancing its environmental sustainability and applicability.

Livelihood impact

medium - high

The innovation provides medium to large livelihood benefits by decentralizing production, improving access, reducing transportation costs, fostering local employment, enhancing economic development, and reducing reliance on imports. It may, however, lead to unemployment in larger-scale production settings.

Socio-cultural impact

medium

Medium socio-cultural impacts may result from shifts in economic benefits and power relations within the ammonia production sector. Social acceptability constraints related to public perception, costs, infrastructure, renewable energy use, technological maturity, and regulatory frameworks may exist.

Equity impact

medium - high

Medium to large equity impacts are expected, with improved access to ammonia in regions lacking infrastructure and potential employment opportunities. There is also a need for efforts to ensure equitable access based on factors like location, gender, age, and skills.

Potential for transformative impact

low - medium

This innovation represents a medium to low-level impact, offering an incremental improvement in reducing the carbon footprint and energy consumption of ammonia production while remaining within the traditional framework of ammonia production.

What factors influence scaling?

With the right policies in place, sustainable and renewable ammonia production could be widely cost competitive with grey ammonia from 2030 onwards. In the long term, this means that renewable ammonia will not only be a lead in renewable fertilizer production, but is also likely to become the main commodity for transporting renewable energy (hydrogen) between continents. Venture capital and private investment are being directed towards renewable energy technologies, hydrogen production, and ammonia production processes. Due to this, the global green ammonia market is expected to continue expanding at a rapid pace.

This innovation can be bundled with renewable energy generation and water management strategies to address challenges related to energy, water, and land resources. It also relies on the increased energy efficiency of electrolyzer technologies, and benefits from improved energy storage systems as renewable energy sources often fluctuate.

This innovation holds a global scope, especially relevant for areas lacking existing ammonia and fertilizer infrastructure, where fertilizer availability and cost are critical concerns.

Small and medium-scale food system actors are likely to adopt this innovation. Barriers to uptake include initial high investment costs, the need for specialized knowledge and equipment, and access to the power, preferably renewable power, grid.

It presents a low to medium disruption level to existing production systems and value chains, primarily affecting input suppliers, post-processors, handlers, and distributors in the ammonia supply chain.

Open the dynamic stakeholder map to see the current landscape: https://embed.kumu.io/6614e5b2c27dbedbf339d0e5dd0e6539

Unintended environmental impacts associated with the production and sourcing of renewable energy, as well as fluctuations in commodity prices, may occur. Other risks that may need mitigating include the potential overuse of synthetic fertilizers as well as safety of on-site production, as anhydrous ammonia - a common form of ammonia - is dangerous to handle.

Studies indicate that economic feasibility can be reached in many locations by 2030 for small-scale green ammonia production under current market conditions, where prices of natural gas and transportation costs remain volatile. The carbon footprint of local production demonstrates substantial reductions when using renewable energy sources.

Where is acceleration most needed?

Accelerator scores reflect the degree of action needed across eight key accelerators of change that can enable an innovation to scale. A higher score signals that greater effort and support are needed in that area to unlock uptake at scale. Click on each accelerator to see what’s been achieved and what still needs attention.

Building Trust

Low

Building Trust

There may be a need to adjust the regulatory environment for smaller-scale circumstances.

Transforming Mindsets

Low

Transforming Mindsets

The innovation doesn't introduce futuristic technologies but focuses on simplifying and minimizing the existing system.

Enabling Social License

Medium

Enabling Social License

Engagement with stakeholders across society is important for encouraging the shift, especially with smaller-scale implementations, which may lead to a power shift.

Ensuring Stable Finance

Medium - High

Ensuring Stable Finance

Financial support is very likely to be needed for smaller-scale food system actors to produce ammonia on-site.

Designing Market Incentives

High

Designing Market Incentives

Initial cost and risk spreading are crucial for smaller-scale food system actors to embrace this innovation.

Changing Policies and Regulations

Low

Changing Policies and Regulations

Not many technical changes are required; instead, the innovation emphasizes decentralization and may necessitate adjustments to embrace this approach.

Safeguarding Against Undesirable Effects

Low

Safeguarding Against Undesirable Effects

Potential problems should be mitigated by offering safety training and application recommendations, monitoring effects, and taking corrective measures when needed.

Developing Transition Pathways

High

Developing Transition Pathways

Scaling down the Haber-Bosch loop is essential for all future ammonia synthesis technologies and can be implemented across transition pathways, particularly towards the most sustainable and renewable green ammonia, as seen in scenarios like photochemical 2050.

Reference

Alho S, Rombach A, Zeppenfeldt L (2024). Quick Guide: Decentralized green ammonia. Wageningen, the Netherlands: Clim-Eat. https://clim-eat.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Quick-Guide-Decentralized-green-ammonia.pdf

Cardoso, J. S., Silva, V., Chavando, J. A. M., Eusébio, D., Hall, M. J., & Costa, M. (2021). Small-Scale Biomass Gasification for Green Ammonia Production in Portugal: A Techno-Economic Study. In Energy & Fuels (Vol. 35, Issue 17, pp. 13847–13862). American Chemical Society (ACS). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c01928

Fernández CA, Chapman O, Brown MA, AlvarezPugliese CE & Hatzell MC. (2024). Achieving Decentralized, Electrified, and Decarbonized Ammonia Production. Environ Sci Technol. 2024 Apr 23;58(16):6964-6977. doi: 10.1021/acs. est.3c10751. Epub 2024 Apr 11. PMID: 38602491; PMCID: PMC11044596

Garvey, S.M., Davidson, E.A., Wagner-Riddle, C. et al. Emerging opportunities and research questions for green ammonia adoption in agriculture and beyond. Nat. Rev. Clean Technol. 1, 10–11 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44359-024-00012-2

Lin, B., Wiesner, T., & Malmali, M. (2020). Performance of a Small-Scale Haber Process: A Techno-Economic Analysis. In ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (Vol. 8, Issue 41, pp. 15517–15531). American Chemical Society (ACS). https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c04313

Osorio-Tejada, J., Tran, N. N., & Hessel, V. (2022). Techno-environmental assessment of small-scale Haber-Bosch and plasma-assisted ammonia supply chains. In Science of The Total Environment (Vol. 826, p. 154162). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154162

Tonelli D, Rosa L, Gabrielli P, Parento A & Contino F. (2024). Cost-competitive decentralized ammonia fertilizer production can increase food security. Nat Food 5, 469-479 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-00979-y