Researchers have created a pioneering plasma-based method that synthesises ammonia gas directly from air using electricity and artificial lightning, bypassing fossil-fuel-reliant Haber-Bosch and offering scalable, low-cost, off-grid green ammonia production with major environmental benefits.
Researchers at the University of Sydney have unveiled a novel technique to produce ammonia by using electricity and artificial lightning, opening a path toward cleaner and decentralized ammonia production that could significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This innovative approach sidesteps the century-old Haber-Bosch process that currently dominates ammonia synthesis but is notorious for its high energy consumption, dependence on fossil fuels, and substantial carbon emissions.
At the heart of the Sydney team’s advancement is a two-step method that employs plasma to excite nitrogen and oxygen molecules directly from the air. These energized molecules are then converted into ammonia gas through a membrane-based electrolyzer. Unlike previous methods that typically produced ammonia in liquid ammonium form, requiring additional processing, this breakthrough method yields ammonia directly as a gas, streamlining the production process. Professor PJ Cullen from the University of Sydney’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering described this achievement as a “huge step towards our goals,” enabling low-cost, scalable, and off-grid-friendly ammonia synthesis.
The implications of this development extend far beyond fertilizer manufacturing—a sector that supports nearly half of global food production and has long been tied to massive emissions. Ammonia also holds significant promise as a future clean energy carrier due to its high hydrogen content. Industries such as shipping are already exploring ammonia as a carbon-free fuel alternative. The method pioneered in Sydney could transform how green ammonia is produced, making sustainable fuel and fertilizer options more accessible to remote or rural locations that lack centralized industrial infrastructure.
This innovation arrives amidst growing global efforts to transition from fossil fuel-dependent ammonia production to what is known as green ammonia, generated using renewable energy sources like wind or solar power. Traditional green ammonia production significantly reduces CO₂ emissions by generating hydrogen from water electrolysis powered by renewables before synthesizing it with nitrogen. However, despite these environmental benefits, large-scale adoption faces challenges including high costs and slow implementation, economic hurdles that have slowed industry-wide shifts toward green alternatives.
In contrast, ongoing projects around the world highlight both the promise and the scale of green ammonia initiatives. For example, Germany’s EnBW utility plans to import 100,000 tons of green ammonia annually from Norway’s Skipavika Green Ammonia project by 2027. This project leverages local renewable electricity to power its electrolyser and is part of Germany’s strategy to decarbonize its industrial sectors through clean hydrogen imports. Likewise, in Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador have approved World Energy’s Nujio’qonik project, which will produce green hydrogen and ammonia powered by over three gigawatts of wind energy, marking a substantial step for clean ammonia production in North America.
Still, experts acknowledge the complexity of fully transitioning the global fertilizer and energy industries to green ammonia. As noted by Svein Tore Holsether, head of crop nutrient giant Yara International, Europe’s fertilizer sector must accelerate its adoption of low-carbon solutions to meet climate targets, yet economic and regulatory challenges persist. Higher production costs, insufficient subsidies, and competition from regions with more favorable renewable energy policies continue to complicate the pathway to profitability in green ammonia.
Nonetheless, innovations like the University of Sydney’s plasma-based ammonia synthesis offer a promising complement to existing projects by potentially decentralizing production, reducing costs, and lessening the environmental footprint of ammonia manufacture. As global energy and agriculture systems seek decarbonisation, transformative technologies such as this may become instrumental in meeting the world’s increasing demand for sustainable fertilizers and clean fuels, simultaneously addressing food security and climate goals.
