A pioneering facility has come online for its first season of low‑carbon ammonia production in Minnesota, USA. The plant is being turned on gradually, with a target of 1 ton per day of low‑carbon ammonia for local fertiliser offtake. Wind energy powers the electrolysers that supply hydrogen to a Haber‑Bosch plant.

To manage the fluctuating renewable supply, the rate of ammonia production can be adjusted using new modeling and control systems. The facility sits at UMN’s West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, rural Minnesota. It is a collaboration between UMN, RTI International, and Casale.

The project addresses high fertiliser prices and supply chain instability while creating revenue streams within the state. An upscale of the 2013 pilot plant, it can be expanded into a network of commercial, renewable ammonia hubs owned by farmer cooperatives. The ammonia can be stored in tanks or coupled with CO₂ by‑products from ethanol production to produce urea, the most common fertiliser used in Minnesota.

Michael Reese, Green Ammonia Research Lead, explains that wind or sun is the feedstock, and dynamic operation reduces the need for costly hydrogen storage. Prof. Prodromos Daoutidis highlights the economic development benefits and the potential for co‑ops to develop these plants with state support. The facility is featured in AEA’s December 2025 episode of Project Features and exemplifies UMN‑originating ammonia energy start‑ups.