San Francisco-based SynGest Inc. has announced plans to build what it calls the world’s first biomass-to-ammonia plant in Menlo, Iowa, marking a major step toward sustainable fertilizer production in the U.S. The facility will support the country’s 18 million-ton-per-year ammonia market by using agricultural waste instead of natural gas, reports Biomass Magazine.
The company plans to deploy its proprietary gasification and syngas technology at the new site, which will convert 150,000 tons of corncobs annually into 50,000 tons of anhydrous ammonia—enough to fertilize about 500,000 acres of farmland.
The process will use a pressurized oxygen-blown biomass gasifier that operates in an expanding bed fluidized mode. SynGest’s patent-pending HarvestGas system converts biomass into a mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide while minimizing methane formation. The gas is then cleaned and processed to increase hydrogen content, which is combined with nitrogen to produce ammonia.
The plant will include an air separation unit to supply oxygen for gasification and pure nitrogen for ammonia synthesis. The gasifier design is based on existing coal gasification technology but operates at lower temperatures and pressures, making it less expensive to build, said Jack Oswald, SynGest’s CEO.
“We run at lower temperatures and pressures than comparable gasification units, so our design is more cost-effective,” Oswald explained. “Everything else is off-the-shelf technology to minimize risk.”
The Menlo facility will occupy five acres of a 75-acre site, with the remaining area set aside for biomass storage. According to Oswald, the plant will require about 10 percent of the corncobs available within a 30- to 40-mile radius. “The size of the facility is driven by the logistics of biomass collection,” he said.
While Oswald acknowledged that biomass-based ammonia might be more expensive than conventional ammonia when natural gas prices are low, he noted that the savings on transportation costs—since most U.S. ammonia is produced in the Gulf Coast and shipped to the Midwest—will help balance the difference.
The total investment in the project is estimated at $80 million, with financing nearing completion. SynGest is also in talks with a major agribusiness company to manage both feedstock procurement and ammonia distribution.
If all permits are approved on schedule, construction could begin later this year or by next spring, with an estimated 18-month build time.
SynGest is also exploring opportunities under the USDA’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which supports farmers in establishing and delivering bioenergy crops. The program covers 75 percent of crop establishment costs and helps with harvest, storage, and transportation. Oswald said early discussions with USDA officials have been positive.
“This project demonstrates how American agriculture can help produce cleaner, locally sourced fertilizer while reducing dependence on fossil fuels,” he added.
