Local ammonia production using energy from agrivoltaics

The work focuses on the decarbonization of agriculture and the local production of “green” ammonia for nitrogen fertilizers using solar agrivoltaic power plants. The necessity of transitioning from centralized ammonia production using the Haber–Bosch method, which is associated with a high carbon footprint and high logistics costs, to distributed systems is substantiated. A concept has been proposed that combines agrivoltaics and local ammonia synthesis, which makes it possible to use electricity to ensure the system’s functionality on‑site. Calculations have been carried out to assess the potential for local production of green ammonia using energy from an agrivoltaic solar power plant for Russia and India, based on spatial data on cultivated areas and insolation. An economic assessment of the normalized cost of ammonia and the economic feasibility for plants with a capacity ranging from 0.1 to 150 tons per year has been carried out. The results show that small capacities are not profitable for ammonia production, but they may be economically feasible due to the sale of excess electricity. Economic feasibility is achieved at a scale of 150 t/year in India and in remote regions of Russia under special financing conditions. An additional effect is a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions due to the elimination of steam reforming stages and long‑distance transportation. The research results will be useful for agricultural enterprises focused on sustainable development and reducing their carbon footprint, as well as for investors in distributed energy and manufacturers of mineral fertilizers who are interested in localizing production and increasing the autonomy of farms.

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