Decarbonising agriculture through Net Zero fertilisers

CCm Technologies is a sustainable/cleantech technology company, based near Swindon, focused on resource optimisation, including Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU).

CCm's technology converts captured carbon dioxide and other waste streams into stable value-added materials with multiple uses including fertiliser, plastics and energy storage.

CCm’s process puts organic matter and carbon back into the soil, sequestrating the carbon back into the land. Every tonne of fertiliser made in this way captures at least 120kg of carbon through the production process and stores 380kg of carbon in the fertiliser itself. This places otherwise lost-to-the-atmosphere carbon back into soil.

CCm’s technology has a significant role to play in moving to a circular economy and accelerating decarbonisation. It allows a wide range of businesses to generate commercial value from captured carbon and other agricultural and industrial waste streams while also delivering improved sustainability. Our fertiliser products are unique in that they are cost-competitive with conventional options, compatible with existing distribution infrastructure on farms, and have been independently tested over the last six years to ensure comparable yields while delivering significant environmental benefits.

By drawing on end-of-use materials as substantial inputs and involving a low-energy manufacturing process, CCm has created a range of materials whose sale price is directly competitive with existing products and which are financially viable on a standalone basis without reliance on government subsidies or incentives. CCm’s products offer huge potential in terms of the decarbonisation of the agricultural sector.

Food production is estimated to be responsible for 26% of global GHG emissions. CCm fertilisers lower the carbon footprint of fertiliser while also preventing ‘run off’ of waste streams into the environment, which itself can cause damage to water streams and the surrounding landscape while equal or outperforming conventional fertilisers in terms of yield and protein quality and using 10% less nitrogen and phosphates.

At a time when over 150 million people globally face food insecurity according to the UN, CCm’s technology does not require a farmer anywhere in the world to pay more to acquire the necessary nutrients for their food production or alter their machinery. Farmers can therefore make sustainable, tailored, low Carbon choices without sacrificing yields or paying more. This is critical to moving the agriculture sector closer to net-zero in a way that brings industry along on the Net Zero journey and incentivises production change.

Project Impact

CCm’s disruptive technology addresses the following UN’s Sustainable Development Goals:

• Damaging Carbon impact of conventional fertilisers - SDG15.5, 13.1

• Broken food systems - SDG12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.8, 2.4

• Excessive Nitrogen and Phosphorous in soil and groundwater - SDG15.1, 11.6, 6.3

• Increasing N2O emissions from Ammonia volatilisation - SDG3.9, 11.6

CCm's Technology positively impacts:

1. Emissions – Capturing, utilising, avoiding & sequestering CO2 by stabilising Ammonia.

2. Water Quality – Deployment of CCm’s technology will recover Ammonia & Phosphorus (+50-71%) from effluents before discharge into groundwater, rivers & seas reducing potential pollution.

3. Soil Fertility & Ecosystem Biodiversity – Carbon sequestration increases water and nutrient retention close to the crop root ball (+35-63%). Increased microbial activity (>+20%).

CCm’s fertilisers have a Carbon footprint more than 90% lower than conventional fossil-fuel derived fertilisers. The Carbon impact of 50 CCm units would be the equivalent to taking 375,000 cars off the road per year.

Project Timeline

CCm's commercial available and scalable technology is already being deployed in the market with Severn Trent, Yorkshire and PepsiCo.