Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Ammonia Synthesis at Low Pressure
Published on: August 23, 2017
The Environmental Feasibility of Decentralised Solar Ammonia
Sebastiano C D'Angelo1, Antonio J Martín2, Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez3
1Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich. sebastiano.dangelo@chem.ethz.ch.
Abstract:
Intense efforts have been devoted to developing green and blue centralised Haber-Bosch processes (gHB and bHB, respectively), but the feasibility of a decentralised and sustainable scheme has yet to be assessed. Here we reveal the conditions under which small-scale systems based on the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrogen (eN2R) powered by photovoltaic energy (NH3-leaf) could become a competitive technology in terms of environmental criteria. To this end, we calculated energy efficiency targets based on solar irradiation atlases to guide research in the incipient eN2R field. Even under this germinal state, the NH3-leaf technology would compete favourably in sunny locations relative to the business-as-usual production scenario. The disclosed sustainability potential of NH3-leaf makes it a strong ally of gHB toward a non-fossil ammonia production.
Related Concept Videos
Free Energy Changes for Nonstandard States
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Microbial Fuel Cells
Biofuels

