Nium’s Post

Recently Nium was chosen for a delegation to Australia as part of a very well organised Farmers2Founders collaboration with Innovate UK as part of their Gateway to Australia' global incubators program. 🇦🇺 🦘 We presented at AgriFutures evokeAG and met with energy companies and agricultural producers around the country. I was not surprised that in Australia, a rapidly heating continent, that is already very warm, where drought is commonplace, that climate was a hot topic. 🌍 People are embracing & making the most of abundant renewable energy with local production of ammonia. ⚡ 🌾 Indeed Tom Norman delivered a high energy presentation on his family farm which already has the go-ahead, know how and equipment and is ready to go with decarbonised, decentralised ammonia production.... But what did surprise me was the urgency of demand. Aussies need ammonia now. They want to make it themselves. As fertiliser it provides at least half of their food. But at the moment Australia relies on imports to eat. Australia is similar to Europe and the US as it ships in the vast majority of its Ammonia. But Australia is even more sensitive to global supply chains and shipping routes. For context, right now, Russia is the worlds leading exporter of ammonia. The ammonia it makes dominates global markets. It is made by burning, oil, gas, coal. In this context. Climate Security, Is Energy Security, is Food Security is National Security. The convoluted global supply chains, and tariff free trade we have relied on to make fossil ammonia work are starting to look less reliable. Decentralised facilities, local supply though collaborations and cooperatives, like those in Australia - these can still take advantage of some economy of scale and free renewable energy while reducing emissions and cost. It was good to spend time with our partners at HydGene Renewables and to shake hands with the farmer who we are collaborating with on a worlds first proof of concept. Best of all I got to spend some time on farm with the family at Eastwell Farms Alex Thompson - Welch Susie & Bryant Usher, who taught me a lot about regenerative practices, food, adaptation and how, through diversification, adaption and collaboration, Australia is adapting faster and becoming more entrepreneurial independent and resilient in a changing world. Thank you to Julia Spicer OAM AgriFutures evokeAG Farmers2Founders Innovate UK The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry the inspiration, organisation and connections and the HydGene Renewables and Nium teams for all the hard work.