Loop Chemicals has announced that it has licensed a thermochemical looping ammonia technology from Sandia National Laboratories for commercialisation through distributed ammonia production.
The chemical looping platform was developed at Sandia in collaboration with Arizona State University, with research led by Dr Andrea Ambrosini, Principal Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia. The technology enables ammonia production through a novel chemical looping process, offering the potential for lower capital intensity relative to conventional approaches.
Loop Chemicals will initially focus on distributed ammonia manufacturing for fertilizer markets, bringing production closer to farms and reducing transportation and supply-chain vulnerabilities. The company intends to expand into ammonia as an alternative fuel and carrier for hydrogen as development progresses.
Loop Chemicals emerged from the Massachusetts Climatetech Studio, a partnership between the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and FedTech, designed to help entrepreneurs launch ventures around lab-developed technologies. The company won a competitive grant award at the conclusion of the programme and has been applying that funding toward construction of a prototype reactor, with input from Sandia and ASU. Loop and Sandia plan to continue working together to advance and validate the technology, with commercialisation led by Loop Chemicals.
Dan Doble Co-Founder and CEO of Loop Chemicals, said: “Our mission is to localise ammonia production – strengthening US fertilizer supply chains, reducing dependence on foreign imports, and improving farm gate economics. Chemical looping ammonia technology offers a pathway to reinvigorate rural economies with high-quality jobs while improving supply reliability. Over time, we also see major opportunity in ammonia as a fuel.”
Andrea Ambrosini of Sandia National Laboratories stated: “Our innovative ammonia looping process represents an important step towards increasing domestic production for the benefit of US agriculture and energy security. We are pleased to see Loop Chemicals advancing this technology toward commercial deployment.
Loop Chemicals is a great example of how talented innovators and their early-stage technologies can move beyond the lab to deliver tangible economic value in local, rural communities," said Jennifer Le Blond, Managing Director of Emerging Climatetech at Mass Clean Energy Center. "This milestone reflects the value of pairing breakthrough research with the right support and partnerships to accelerate commercialisation and deliver impact where it’s needed most.”
Hadas Webb, Director Energy Innovation at FedTech, commented: “This is exactly what ClimateTech Studio was designed to do: translate technologies developed in universities and national labs into scalable companies.”