Monash University, Media Release, 30 April 2025

Monash University scientists are urging caution around recent claims of breakthroughs in green nitrate fertiliser production, warning there is more work to do before the concept is market-ready.

Research by the Monash School of Chemistry has reviewed 50 published studies claiming to have produced green nitrate fertilisers, and found none that successfully resulted in a sustainably-produced alternative to existing products.

Nitrate fertilisers play a critical role in helping the agriculture industry meet global production demands.

With the current manufacturing process accounting for around 2 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the task of finding a suitable green alternative is immense.

Researchers are working on producing nitrate directly from air and water using renewable energy, but serious contamination flaws have resulted in naturally occurring atmospheric contaminants incorrectly being recorded in the final product.

Monash Associate Professor Alexandr Simonov said the difficulty lies in the enormous energy required to break the nitrogen gas molecule.

“What we need to see in the research is disruptive innovation in the material and process designs to achieve this important goal,” Associate Professor Simonov said.

“Invention of a commercially viable green nitrate technology is a longed-for trophy for both academia and industry.” 

Monash Research Fellow Dr Mattia Belotti said a regulatory framework of practical, low-cost recommendations could help researchers escape the pitfalls plaguing the field.

“We want to support innovation by helping researchers get it right from the start,” Dr Belotti said.

“The path forward requires careful, well-designed science and we need to be realistic about where we are and what still needs to be done.

“At a minimum, we need better contamination controls so we aren’t getting these false positives and investing in ineffective strategies.”

Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor Douglas MacFarlane said green nitrate could revolutionise the agricultural industry.

“A portable unit for green fertiliser synthesis powered by a solar panel would allow a farmer to become independent from large scale fertiliser supply, cutting the costs and increasing the security of national food production,” Professor MacFarlane said.

“However, we are not there yet, and researchers might need to rethink the strategies currently explored in this critically important field.”

Read the paper at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2025.101924.