2030 commitment
Invest in new technologies and pursue the transition to low-carbon fertilizers, including low-carbon and clean ammonia, by 2030.
Our 2023 progress
We continued to evaluate opportunities to invest in low-carbon ammonia technologies. As of December 31, 2023, Nutrien has annual production capability for 1.2 million tonnes of low-carbon ammonia at our Geismar, LA, Redwater, AB and Joffre, AB Nitrogen facilities. We decided to suspend work on our proposed Geismar clean ammonia project due to an increase in expected capital costs compared to our initial estimates, continued uncertainty on the timing of emerging uses for clean ammonia and the prioritization of strategic capital allocation.
Update: This goal directly contributes to our 30 percent GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) intensity target. Going forward we will no longer view this goal independently and progress will continue to be shared on how these programs collectively contribute to our 30 percent reduction in GHG emissions intensity target.
Low-carbon ammonia
Low-carbon ammonia can be produced using one or a combination of technologies including renewable electricity and/or carbon capture utilization and storage (“CCUS”), the permanent storage of CO2 underground using sequestration reservoirs or for use in a range of applications.
Our near-term focus is on using CCUS infrastructure and growing our low-carbon ammonia production.
- As of December 31, 2023, Nutrien has annual production capability for 1.2 million tonnes of low-carbon ammonia at our Geismar, LA, Redwater, AB and Joffre, AB Nitrogen facilities.
- Our Redwater Nitrogen facility has been capturing and exporting CO2 into the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line since late 2019. In 2023, an additional project was completed to increase the export capability to over 800 tonnes of CO2 per day.
- At our Geismar facility we have been permanently sequestering carbon emissions since 2013, and typically sequester >230 kMt annually.
- At our Joffre facility, we have been using by-product hydrogen from a nearby industrial producer since 1987, thus eliminating the GHG-intensive step of processing natural gas into hydrogen.
- Partnerships: Nutrien continues our partnership with the US Department of Energy (“DOE”) and other industry partners to develop a clean ammonia plant with technology developed from the Renewable Energy to Fuels Through Utilization of Energy-Dense Liquids (“REFUEL”) program.
- Study and assessment: Nutrien is conducting a study to assess the technological feasibility, develop preliminary engineering and create the overall business case for difficult-to-abate carbon emissions at the Redwater, AB ammonia production facility.