July 3, 2025
Washington, D.C. – More than 80 leading scientists, policymakers, agronomists, and innovators from around the world gathered last week in Washington, D.C., to chart new pathways for sustainable nitrogen management in light of recent advancements in renewable nitrogen technologies and green ammonia (i.e., produced using renewable energy and precursors).
These events, hosted by the Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and the Environment (NICCEE) brought together experts from across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain and beyond. The weeklong program centered around two back-to-back convenings: the North American Nitrogen Governance Workshop (June 23–24, 2025) and the second annual Nitrogen Summer Institute (June 25–27, 2025).
Laying the groundwork for green ammonia governance
The North American Nitrogen Governance Workshop convened 25 experts from across the U.S., bringing together interests from research, NGOs, foundations, government, farming and the private sector. Through a series of presentations and collaborative discussion sessions, participants began to lay the intellectual foundation for an integrative governance framework for green ammonia production and consumption in the U.S., as well as potential links to global markets and supply chains.
“NICCEE is uniquely positioned to bring together such a multifaceted group of experts and stakeholders,” NICCEE Co-Principal Investigator David Kanter of New York University said. “Together, we were able to consider a range of possible futures for green ammonia in the U.S. and abroad—from enabling conditions to proper environmental guardrails across different sectors. I'm hopeful this is an important step towards sensible, evidence-based policymaking on this critical topic.”
Workshop discussions delved into specific policies, including how important current tax credits in the U.S. are for clean fuel (45 Z) and clean hydrogen (45 V) development, which will likely also affect the safe, affordable and clean use of ammonia to produce fuels and fertilizers. Indeed, cost was identified as a priority by both farmers and industry. “For the [farmers] we work with, number one [priority] is cost … number two is reduced volatility … and then number three is reducing or eliminating carbon emissions,” shared John Foye, COO of Talus Renewables, a private company that produces modular green ammonia units.
Participants emphasized the need for a governance framework that integrates diverse perspectives, connects across scales and anticipates environmental risks, while remaining adaptable in a fast-paced world.
Bridging Science and Practice at the Nitrogen Summer Institute
Immediately following the workshop, the Nitrogen Summer Institute brought together more than 55 researchers, students and stakeholders for an intensive, interdisciplinary program focused on nitrogen innovation and collaboration. The conference opened with welcome remarks from University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) President Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm and National Science Foundation Program Director B. Jan Middendorf, followed by a keynote address from Nagaraja Rao Harshadeep, Global Lead for Disruptive Technology and Lead Environmental Specialist (Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy Global Practice) at the World Bank.
“Despite rising crop yields, nitrogen use efficiency in the agriculture-food system remains just 16%, threatening human and ecosystem health,” said NICCEE director Xin Zhang of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “The NICCEE Nitrogen Summer Institute provides a safe and brave space to exchange ideas and spark innovative solutions across disciplines, sectors, and borders—crucial for addressing the interconnected challenges of nitrogen pollution, food security, and clean energy.”
The Nitrogen Summer Institute featured speaker sessions on renewable nitrogen technologies in agriculture, emerging market and policy challenges, and advances in nitrogen modeling and experimental data collection. A highlight of the program was the Catalyst Lab, developed and led by students from NICCEE’s cross-institutional graduate course. This interactive session aimed to bridge the gap between scientists and farmers through effective science communication.
NICCEE’s Global Network
NICCEE is a global center jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC-CRSNG), and U.K. Research and Innovation–Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UKRI-EPSRC). The NICCEE summer event series was supported by NICCEE’s Canada lead Claudia Wagner-Riddle (University of Guelph), U.K. lead Adie Collins (Rothamsted Research), and program manager Sarah Garvey (UMCES).
Additional participants included experts from Carnegie Institution for Science, Iowa State University, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, New York University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the University of Guelph, the University of Manitoba, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Saskatchewan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as well as the International Nitrogen Initiative and International Nitrogen Network. Private sector representation included FuelPositive Corporation, Talus Renewables and Rosetree Consulting. Nonprofits and other organizations present included Earthjustice, Climate Advisers, The Fertilizer Institute, the Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association, the Minnesota Farmers Union, the Natural Resources Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy, and the Platform for Agriculture and Climate Transformation (PACT).
The NICCEE Nitrogen Summer Institute is an annual event. The North American Nitrogen Governance Workshop will be hosted again in 2027.
For more information, please visit niccee.org, or contact Sarah Garvey at sarah.garvey@umces.edu.
