Nitrogen Fertiliser Supply workshops
In June 2026 we were joined by FarmN and Bentleys SA/NT to hear about the economics of nitrogen fertiliser supply and usage, and nitrogen production technologies for farm and regional scale.
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Your input will clarify the potential benefits of a regional Nitrogen Fertiliser production facility for Australian farmers and help determine if a pre-feasibility study should go ahead.
View the workshop slides here.
View a video recording here.
Please note that at 42:29, Greg was intending to talk about ammonium in alkaline soils. In acidic soils, ammonium is less tightly bound because the excess H+ populates the CEC binding sites - and therefore ammonium is more available for root uptake in acidic soils compared to alkaline soils.
The workshops covered:
The Economics of Nitrogen Fertiliser Supply and Usage
James Allen (Partner, Bentleys SA/NT)
- Cash flow cost of securing forward nitrogen supply.
- What price points make sense relative to seasonal production returns.
- What is the lost opportunity of not applying nitrogen due to price or supply constraints.
Nitrogen Production Options for Farm and Regional Scale
Greg Butler (FarmN)
- The standard industrial nitrogen production process (Natural Gas).
- Alternative nitrogen production methods.
- examples of nitrogen fertiliser production using electrical technology.
- examples of nitrogen fertiliser production using biomass technology.
- Nitrogen outputs, form, application and efficiency (nitrates, ammonia, urea).
- Nitrogen susceptibility to losses and where inhibitors will and won't work.
- Sustainable resources, role of legumes in nitrogen fixation and the importance of ground cover for soil health.
Moving to Adoption
- Business models and viable scale for adoption (farm scale, regional scale).
- Grants, credits and incentives.
- Product trials, feasibility, pilot plant or field trip.
- Questions and open discussion.
The workshops were funded by the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water under the Carbon Farming Outreach Program.
The video recording is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.