Jupiter Ionics ($2.5M Seed funding for efficient synthesis of green ammonia to decarbonize agriculture)

Jupiter Ionics, an Australian cleantech startup founded in 2021, develops a modular ammonia synthesis reactor that produces green ammonia via electrochemical processes using nitrogen gas, water, and renewable energy.

Challenges: green ammonia

Ammonia (NH₃) is a crucial compound for agriculture. In 2021, the global production of ammonia was 185 million metric tons, with over 80% being used for fertilizer production. As the global population increases, so does the demand for ammonia.

However, ammonia production consumes about 2% of worldwide fossil fuel due to the energy-intensive nature of the process. This generates over 420 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) annually, which accounts for 1.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The primary method of ammonia production is the Haber-Bosch process, which converts hydrogen (H₂) and nitrogen (N₂) into ammonia. The Haber-Bosch process requires extreme reaction conditions involving high pressure (150–350 atm) and temperature (400–550 ºC), along with pure hydrogen, usually obtained from the steam reforming process of natural gas.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop technologies for ammonia synthesis in a sustainable manner. The utilization of renewable energy to convert N₂ into NH₃ represents a promising approach for the production of green ammonia.

Jupiter Ionics Technology

Jupiter Ionics has developed an ammonia synthesis reactor that uses water, nitrogen gas, and renewable electrical power to produce ammonia through a continuous lithium-mediated electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction.

The discovery of this electrochemical ammonia synthesis method dates back to the 1990s. However, this technology shows limited ammonia yield rates, a faradaic efficiency (the fraction of charge that produces ammonia) of 50–60%, and inadequate operational stability. Jupiter Ionics has improved this technology by developing innovative catholytes that enable stabilized ammonia yield rates of 150 nmol s⁻¹ cm⁻² and a current-to-ammonia efficiency (faradaic efficiency) that is close to 100%.

Jupiter Ionics ammonia synthesis reactor

The diagram below depicts the ammonia synthesis reactor of Jupiter Ionics.