TOPIC PAGE: Sustainability in the fertilizers industry
Erica Sesay
02-Oct-2023
Updated on 2 October.
On this topic page, we gather the latest news, analysis and resources, to help you to keep track of developments in the area of sustainability in the fertilizers industry.
LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
US ADM and Syngenta sign MoU to collaborate on low carbon oilseeds to meet biofuel demand By Mark Milam 28-Sep-23 HOUSTON (ICIS)–US Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Syngenta Group announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate in scaling research and commercialization of low carbon oilseeds to help meet rising demand for biofuels and other sustainably sourced products.
Tecnicas Reunidas, Allied Green Ammonia to build green hydrogen and green ammonia plant in Australia
By Sylvia Traganida 22-Sep-23 LONDON (ICIS)–Tecnicas Reunidas and Allied Green Ammonia have signed an agreement to start the first phases of green hydrogen and green ammonia production facilities in the Northern Territory, Australia.
Australian fertilizer producer Orica accelerates climate change targets
By Sylvia Traganida 19-Sep-23 LONDON (ICIS)–Australian fertilizers and explosive manufacturer Orica has stepped up its climate change targets amid a strong business performance.
Nestle, Cargill and CCm Technologies launch joint UK trial on sustainable fertilizer
By Chris Vlachopoulos 12-Sep-23 LONDON (ICIS)–Nestle and Cargill have launched a UK, two-year trial to assess whether cocoa shells from a local confectionery could be used to create low-carbon fertilizer. The volumes of cocoa shells are provided by Cargill, as well as CCm Technologies.
EnBW acquires stake in planned Norwegian ammonia plant
By Amun Lie 29-Aug-23 LONDON (ICIS)–German utility EnBW announced on 29 August it has acquired a 10% equity stake and offtake right for a renewable ammonia production plant developed by Norwegian company Skipavika Green Ammonia (SkiGA).
The production facility is set to completed in 2026, to be powered by renewable electricity and with a planned production capacity of 100,000 tonnes/year.
Yara Germany signs agreement for decarbonisation of cereal cultivation using green fertilizers
By Sylvia Traganida 10-Aug-23 LONDON (ICIS)–Yara Germany has signed a co-operation agreement with the Bindewald & Gutting Milling Group and Harry-Brot for the decarbonisation of cereal cultivation in Germany through the use of green fertilizers.
Hyphen, ITOCHU ink MoU to explore potential Namibia hydrogen collaboration By Gary Hornby 09-Aug-23 LONDON (ICIS)–Hyphen Hydrogen Energy and the ITOCHU Corporation announced 8 August that the two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) surrounding hydrogen in Namibia.
INSIGHT: BASF grapples
with demand trough, slow road
back
By Tom Brown 02-Aug-23 14:12 LONDON
(ICIS)–BASF and the wider chemicals sector is
dealing with an environment more singular even
than the conditions seen in the pandemic and
2008 financial crash according to BASF chief
Martin Brudermuller, with little sign of a
V-shaped recovery from the current demand
trough.
EU CARBON BORDER ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM (CBAM) EXPLAINED
What is it?
The risk of carbon leakage frustrates the EU’s efforts to meet climate objectives. It occurs when companies transfer production to countries that are less strict on emissions, or when EU products are replaced by more carbon-intensive imports.
This new mechanism would counteract this risk by putting a carbon price on imports of certain goods from outside of the EU.
How will it work?
EU importers will buy carbon certificates corresponding to the carbon price that would have been paid, had the goods been produced under the EU’s carbon pricing rules.
Conversely, once a non-EU producer can show that they have already paid a price for the carbon used in the production of the imported goods, the corresponding cost can be fully deducted for the EU importer.
This will help reduce the risk of carbon leakage by encouraging producers in non-EU countries to make their production processes greener.
A reporting system will apply from 2023 with the objective of facilitating a smooth roll out and to facilitate dialogue with non-EU countries. Importers will start paying a financial adjustment in 2026.
How is the fertilizer industry affected?
The fertilizer industry is one of the sectors to fall under the CBAM.
The more energy-intensive nitrogen fertilizers will be affected most in the sector by the mechanism.
DEFRA CONSULTATIONS EXPLAINED
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) launched a consultation at the beginning of November 2020 on reducing ammonia emissions from urea fertilizers. The consultation ran until 26 January 2021.
It set out three options for tackling ammonia emissions:
- A total ban on solid urea fertilizers
- A requirement to stabilise solid urea fertilizers with the addition of a urease inhibitor.
- A requirement to restrict the spreading of solid urea fertilizers to between 15 January and 31 March of a given year.
Liquid urea is excluded from any new rules or restrictions.
DEFRA is currently analysing the feedback received.
In March 2022, DEFRA announced that it had delayed introducing restrictions on the use of urea by at least a year to support farmers with fertilizer availability and keep their costs down
Should DEFRA decide to restrict the use of urea in the future, growers would be left with just ammonium nitrate-based fertilizers.
PREVIOUS NEWS HEADLINES
SABIC AN ships low-carbon urea to New Zealand
US Cargill and John Deere collaborate to enable revenue for farmers adopting sustainability
Canada’s Lucent Bio announces approval of biodegradable nutrient delivery patent
Aker, Statkraft’s 10-year PPA to spur European renewable ammonia push further
BASF, Yara Clean Ammonia to evaluate low-carbon blue ammonia production facility in US Gulf Coast
Yara Clean Ammonia, Cepsa to launch clean hydrogen maritime corridor
EU details CBAM reporting obligations
Saudi Arabia’s Ma’aden exports its first low-carbon blue ammonia shipments to China
US Bunge and Nutrien Ag announce alliance to support sustainable farming practices
Maire subsidiary Stamicarbon wins US green ammonia engineering contract
India’s IFFCO launches liquid nano-DAP fertilizer
EU Parliament backs CBAM, emissions trading measures
OCP granted €100m green loan to build solar plants at Morocco facilities
EU unveils plans to tackle greenwashing
India’s IFFCO and CIL to manufacture nano DAP for three years
USDA awards Ostara funds to boost sustainable phosphate fertilizer output
Canadian prime minister confirms fertilizer emission goal is voluntary
US fertilizers industry increases carbon capture in 2021 – TFI
Indian president calls for reduction in chemical fertilizer use
IFFCO plans to export nano urea to 25 countries
Amman selects Elessent Clean Technologies for Indonesia sulphuric acid plant
Lotte Chemical forms clean ammonia consultative body with RWE and Mitsubishi Corporation
Global 2020-2021 specialty fertilizer demand growth led by north America, Asia
BASF and Cargill extend enzymes business and distribution to US
Saudi Aramco awards sulphur facilities overhaul contract to Technip
India sets green hydrogen targets for shipping, oil & gas, fertilizer sectors
Germany misses climate target despite lower energy consumption
TFI reacts to US Congress passing the Water Resources Development ActHelm becomes a shareholder in UK bio-fertilizer company Unium Bioscience
Yara inks deal to deliver fossil-free green fertilizers to Argentina
Canadian firms plan fuel cell generator pilot using green ammonia
Deepak Fertilizers awards contract to reduce emissions, increase productivity
Saudi Aramco launches $1.5bn sustainability fund to support net zero ambition
CF Industries and ExxonMobil plan CCS project in Louisiana
Canada’s plan to cut fertilizer emissions is voluntary – minister
Canada’s fertilizer emission goal raises food production concerns
Uniper, Vesta to cooperate on renewable ammonia site in the Netherlands
German Uniper to work with Japan’s JERA on US clean ammonia projects
ADNOC ships first cargo of low-carbon ammonia to Germany
US Mosaic and BioConsortia expand collaboration to microbial biostimulant
IMO deems Mediterranean Sea area for sulphur oxides emissions control
Canada’s Soilgenic launches new enhanced efficiency fertilizers technology for retail
Austria’s Borealis aims to produce 1.8m tonnes/year of circular products by 2030
European Parliament rejects proposed carbon market reform
IFA ’22: southern Africa looks to bio-fertilizer as cheaper, sustainable option
IFA ’22: Indian farmers will struggle to embrace specialty fertilizers – producer
Canadian Nutrien plans to build world’s largest clean ammonia facility in Louisiana
Japan’s JGC Holdings awards green ammonia plant contract to KBR
Bayer to partner with Ginkgo to produce sustainable fertilizers
Australia Orica and H2U Group partner on Gladstone green ammonia project
Canada sets tax credit of up to 60% for carbon capture projects
UK delays urea restrictions to support farmers as fertilizer costs at record high
EU states agree to back carbon border tax
Yara to develop novel green fertilizer from recycled nutrients
USDA announces plans for $250m grant programme to support American-made fertilizer
Canada seeks guidance to achieve fertilizer emissions target
Fertilizer titan Pupuk Indonesia develops hydrogen/blue ammonia business
India
launches green hydrogen/ammonia policy, targets
exports
Canada AmmPower to develop green hydrogen and
ammonia facility in Louisiana
US DOE awards grant to project to recover rare earth elements from phosphate production
Fertiglobe, Masdar, Engie to develop green hydrogen for ammonia production
Czech Republic’s Spolana enhances granular AS production
India’s Reliance to invest $80bn in green energy projects
Yara, Sweden’s Lantmannen aim to commercialise green ammonia by 2023
Novatek and Uniper target Russia to Germany blue-ammonia supply chain
Fertz giant Yara goes green with electrification of Norwegian factoryCanada
Arianne Phosphate exploring use of phosphate for hydrogen technology
FAO and IFA renew MoU to promote sustainable fertilizer use
Sumitomo Chemical, Yara to explore clean ammonia collaboration
Sri Lanka revokes ban on imports
Tokyo scientists convert bioplastic into nitrogen fertilizer
Aramco plans Saudi green hydrogen, ammonia project
China announces action plan for carbon peaking & neutrality
Saudi Aramco targets net zero emissions from operations by 2050
Fertiglobe goes green with Red Sea zero-carbon ammonia pro
Australian fertilizer major Incitec Pivot teams up for green ammonia study
INTERVIEW: BASF to scale up new decarbonisation tech in second half of decade – CEO
India asks fertilizer companies to speed up production of nano DAP
Japan’s Itochu set to receive first cargo of blue ammonia for fertilizer use
Norway’s Yara acquires recycled fertilizers maker Ecolan
Bayer Funds US start-up aims to cut nitrogen fertilizer use by 30%
BP: Green ammonia production in Australia feasible, but needs huge investment
Origin and MOL explore shipping green ammonia from Australia
India’s IFFCO seeks to export nano urea fertilizer
Speak with ICIS
Now, more than ever, dynamic insights are key to navigating complex, volatile commodity markets. Access to expert insights on the latest industry developments and tracking market changes are vital in making sustainable business decisions.
Want to learn about how we can work together to bring you actionable insight and support your business decisions?

Need Help?