Ammobia, a startup focused on ammonia production, announced it has refined the century-old Haber-Bosch process, potentially reducing production costs by up to 40%. The company secured $7.5 million in seed funding to scale its technology, according to information shared exclusively with TechCrunch.
The funding round included investments from Air Liquide's venture arm ALIAD, Chevron Technology Ventures, Chiyoda Corporation, MOL Switch, and Shell Ventures, signaling strong industry interest in Ammobia's approach. The company believes its advancements could broaden ammonia's applications beyond fertilizer, potentially impacting industries seeking decarbonization solutions.
The Haber-Bosch process, developed in the early 20th century, is the primary method for synthesizing ammonia, a crucial component of fertilizers that sustains global food production. Ammobia's modifications to this established process aim to make ammonia production more efficient and cost-effective.
Ammonia is gaining traction as a potential alternative to hydrogen for decarbonizing various sectors. Unlike hydrogen, ammonia is more energy-dense and benefits from a more developed transportation and storage infrastructure. "The big advantage of ammonia is that it’s much easier and more cost-effective to transport and store," the company stated.
Countries like Japan and South Korea are exploring ammonia's potential in their industrial and transportation roadmaps. If Ammobia's technology proves successful at scale, it could accelerate the adoption of ammonia as a clean energy carrier and fuel source. The company plans to use the seed funding to further develop and demonstrate its technology, paving the way for wider commercial deployment.
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