Section: CRUFI Features

Some 410 delegates from 208 companies and 45 countries participated virtually in the IFA Global Sustainability Conference, 28-31 March 2022. We report on the main highlights of this four-day event.

The overuse of limited natural resources and excessive contributions to climate change are just two of the criticisms currently levelled at global agriculture. Plant scientist David Marks is addressing these criticisms head-on through the company he founded, Levity Crop Science. He believes that, with better access to the right products, farmers can bring agriculture back into balance.

CRU Events will convene the Fertilizer AgriTech Forum in Texas at the Aloft Dallas Downtown, 7-9 September.

The refurbishment and modernisation of fertilizer plants offers the opportunity to reduce operating costs, raise production capacity, improve energy efficiency and cut emissions.

A selection of innovative products and technologies that have recently been brought to market.

Wet process phosphoric acid plants require reliable cooling water facilities. Jan Tytgat, engineering manager, De Smet Agro, shares his insights on the design and operation of cooling water networks, pumps and towers.

The phosphate fertilizer industry is turning to production methods that are able to consume low-grade phosphate rock and/ or generate pure gypsum as a by-product. Gypsum-free processes, and technologies that capture phosphorus from waste streams, are also on the rise.

Reclaiming phosphorus from sewage sludge ash holds great potential for the fertilizer industry – by helping to reduce dependency on global supply chains, ensuring resilience and even raising quality. But successful phosphorus recovery largely depends on the process used, as EasyMining’s Anna Lundbom, Sara Stiernström and Christian Kabbe explain.

We compare and contrast the 2021 financial performance of selected major fertilizer producers following the publication of fourth quarter results.

The recently-published IEA Ammonia Technology Roadmap sets out a future pathway for decarbonising the nitrogen industry. New technology options for low-carbon ammonia production are emerging and project activity is on the rise.