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Researchers from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and Stanford University have developed a breakthrough prototype that uses wind energy and a catalyst-coated mesh to produce ammonia—a key ingredient in fertilizer—without the extreme temperatures and pressures required by the traditional Haber-Bosch process.
Instead, the device operates under normal atmospheric conditions. Wind pushes air through the mesh, where a catalyst triggers a reaction between nitrogen in the air and hydrogen extracted from water vapor. In lab experiments, the system produced enough ammonia within two hours to fertilize greenhouse plants—demonstrating its potential for practical agricultural use.
Because it eliminates the need for fossil-fuel-intensive processing, this technology could dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of ammonia production. The team envisions integrating the device directly into irrigation systems, enabling farmers to manufacture their own fertilizer on-site using nothing but air and wind power.
Although still in the prototype phase, the researchers aim to scale the technology by expanding the size of the mesh system to support larger output. Commercial availability is targeted within the next two to three years—promising a sustainable, decentralized alternative to conventional ammonia production and a major step forward in climate-friendly farming.