Germany kicks-off decarbonisation of cereal cultivation using green fertilizer

As early as of 2023/24 growing season, contract farmers of the Bindewald & Gutting Milling Group will use Yara’s green fertilizer on an area of around 1600 ha. The fertilizer will be produced from green ammonia at a plant in Rostock, Germany.

Unlike traditional methods that use fossil fuels like natural gas for ammonia extraction, green ammonia is produced using renewable energy sources such as wind, hydropower, or solar energy. This process involves obtaining the necessary hydrogen for ammonia synthesis through electrolysis. The outcome is a fertilizer with up to 90% reduced CO₂ footprint, compared to conventional methods.

In this context, Yara Germany, all nine locations of the Bindewald & Gutting Milling Group, and Harry-Brot signed a cooperation agreement with the shared goal of reducing CO₂ emissions in cereal production. The partnership will help in reducing carbon footprint along the entire food value chain, starting from fertilizers to sales and ultimately reaching end consumers.

An IPSOS study commissioned revealed that 74% of German consumers want product packaging to display the CO₂ footprint, with 53% willing to pay extra for food produced with reduced fossil fuels. By using green fertilizer, grain CO₂ footprints can be reduced by up to 30%, offering consumers a sustainable food choice and supporting climate-friendly production.

An additional reduction in field emissions is attainable through optimised fertilizer management, incorporating balanced crop nutrition, the selection of the most efficient nitrogen form, and site-specific fertilization tailored to crop needs. By integrating these approaches with digital precision farming tools, the company provides its partners with a comprehensive fertilization solution.

Benoît Lamaison, SVP of the Continental Europe Business Unit, commented: "Today's signing of our cooperation agreement officially kicks off the first project in Germany using Yara's green fertilizer solution based on fossil-free ammonia. We are looking forward to the cooperation and hope this is the first of many partnerships across the entire food value chain."

"Our partnership with the Bindewald & Gutting Milling Group and Harry-Brot is a crucial first step to decarbonize German agriculture. It is a concrete example of how food production can be transformed in a sustainable way. However, not only all stakeholders along the food value chain are challenged and invited to actively participate in the green transformation of agriculture but also politicians promoting the expansion of renewable energies," adds Marco Fleischmann, Managing Director of Yara Germany.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/project-news/10082023/germany-kicks-off-a-significant-reduction-of-co2-footprint-in-cereal-crops/