Imagine a device that acts like an artificial leaf, sucking up pollution and CO2 from the air or factory smoke. Instead of just cleaning the air, it turns those pollutants into liquid fertilizer right where the plants are growing. This removes the need to buy, transport, or store heavy bags of chemicals.
Traditional fertilizer production relies on fossil fuels and creates significant CO2 and nitrogen pollution. Additionally, the logistics of transporting and storing these chemicals increase costs and environmental damage.
A lab-scale prototype including AHA IL-based membranes for CO2 capture and an electrolyser for converting nitrogen and CO2 into urea.
If you are a smart farm operator dealing with high transport costs and soil runoff — this project developed a self-sustaining system that converts CO2 and nitrogen into urea in situ. This allows for autonomous fertilizer delivery without the need for storage and transport.
If you are a factory owner dealing with carbon taxes and nitrogen pollutants — this project developed an electrochemical system that captures CO2 and N-compounds directly from flue gas. It turns a waste liability into a sellable or usable fertilizer product.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with reliance on fossil fuel-based ammonia production — this project developed a lab-scale technology using solar photocatalysis and electrochemistry. It enables the production of urea using renewable energy sources instead of natural gas.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-per-unit figures are not provided; the project focuses on creating a more cost-effective approach by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
No, the project currently aims for a lab-scale validated innovative technology. It is in the prototype development phase, as evidenced by the testing of membranes and electrolytes.
Based on available project data, there is no specific information regarding licensing terms or patent filings provided in the summary.
The system is designed to use renewable energy sources and solar photocatalysis to power the conversion of CO2 and nitrogen into urea.
The project period runs from 2023-11-01 to 2026-10-31, indicating it is currently in the research and development phase.
The consortium is research-heavy, consisting of 10 partners across 5 countries. With 4 universities and 3 research institutes, the focus is clearly on fundamental science, though it includes 1 industrial partner and 1 SME, representing a 10% industry ratio. This suggests the technology is in an early stage of transition from lab to market.
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