Ammonia can be made from “off-peak” geothermal energy.
My friend Steve Gruhn explains ammonia better than anyone I know. Having come from the midwest, Steve is very concerned about fertilizer security.
Not only can “off-peak” power from geothermal make ammonia, but ammonia can power vehicles and make fertilizer.
Looks like a slam dunk to me.
He sent me the following:
Richard,
I have put together a little information for you. I hope you can use it to help others understand the importance of NH3, Nitrogen fertilizers and the need to develop sustainable ways of producing it. This is why we are so glad to hear about what is happening in Hawaii and support your efforts 200%.
First to give some background on SAFE/Freedom Fertilizer and how it relates to all types of agriculture, here in Iowa, out in Hawaii and around the world. SAFE stands for Sustainable Ammonia Fertilizer Enterprise. We are about finding ways of producing nitrogen fertilizer from renewable sources of energy.
To do this we must produce NH3. NH3 is ammonia and ammonia is the first step in all nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen by itself is something most people do not have a clue about let alone the NH3 part. First and foremost, without Nitrogen we can not produce food.
It is the Nitrogen cycle that allows for life on the planet to exist. In all reality our ability to produce Nitrogen via ammonia synthesis is much more important than oil. In today’s world without the Haber ammonia synthesis process that is the starting point for almost all Nitrogen based fertilizers used today we could only produce enough food to feed about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the people that are on this planet.
The other problem with using the current Haber process is it all starts as fossil fuel, mostly natural gas but some coal is used. For every ton of ammonia produced using the Haber process it takes the energy equivalent of 300 gallons of gasoline and produces 1.8 tons of CO2, 4 tons of CO2 with coal.
Here in Iowa it means for every one acre of corn production twice as much fossil fuel is used to produce the Nitrogen fertilizer than all other field operations combined, planting to harvest.
The next problem is it makes Nitrogen issues identical to that of oil. We import way too much, 60% + of this countries usage, it is coming from the same troubled areas as oil, its production creates global warming gas and as the cost of fossil fuel feedstock rises it will drive the cost of Nitrogen fertilizer higher as well. Eventually pricing it beyond the pocket books of those farmers around the world whom can least afford not having it.
Then at the same time it will be doing the same for the price of food on our grocery shelves. In a nutshell the picture is not very pretty if alternatives are not developed.
How many people do you know have any idea about these critical issues? That our food supply is just as vulnerable to disruption as our oil supply. In all reality our food supply is twice as vulnerable. Today’s industrial agriculture is too dependent on imported fossil fuel for machines and fertilizer.
The good news is we think that Freedom Fertilizer has the answers to these issues. As of today we are getting a good foothold on the development of new technology that can answer these problems. With luck in the next several months we will be making major steps forward in the development of this technology. A technology that can produce NH3 at atmospheric pressure with only water, free nitrogen and electricity. In time and with proper funding we are hopeful that this process can be used for local distributed production of NH3.
Now for the flip side of NH3 that even fewer people have a clue about. Using NH3 as fuel and to store energy. In reality NH3 is stored energy in a form that has been greatly over looked. Some have referred to it as the other Hydrogen or NHydrogen3.
NH3 doesn’t have to be produced from fossil fuel. It can be produced today via hydrogen from electrolysis and in the not to distant future with new solid state processes like what we are working on.
When the electricity for the processes is produced from stranded, off peak or excess generation capacity this NH3 may be a cost effective way to store electricity.
We already know that NH3 is much easier and cost effective to store and transport than the sum of which it is made. That being Hydrogen. If it is electricity from renewable sources the NH3 is sustainable.
Best of all this could be demonstrated all with current technology. Not only for the production and storage but for the regeneration of power as well. Currently available ICE engine technology allows for using NH3 as fuel. Iowa State University and and the Iowa Energy Center have done several very successful demonstrations using NH3.
These are just a few of the reasons why we support your efforts so much.
Steve Gruhn
712-330-3114
S.A.F.E. / Freedom Fertilizer
Sustainable Ammonia Fertilizer Enterprises LLC
3006 Hwy 71 – Spirit Lake, IA 51360
www.freedomfertilizer.comGreen Ground Zero – GreeNH3 – NH3 Future Fuel – Freedom Fertilizer -Nitronol sm
S.A.F.E. LLC is located at Green Ground Zero – The NW corner of The State of Iowa. This is the epicenter of the new green revolution. The area is home to more installed wind, ethanol, bio-diesel and biomass capacity than anywhere else in the world…. With much more being planned. The future here is bright with projects like SAFE’s GreeNH3, sustainable carbon free Freedom Fertilizer, NH3Future Fuel and Nitronol fuels. Our local vocational schools lead the nation with premier green job training programs in all phases of green energy production. The area has many new ideas, plenty of room and the green resources for much, much more. So just maybe your next renewable project should consider being a part of this green revolution at Green Ground Zero.
Please contact us for more details.