Atlas Agro and Casa dos Ventos sign partnership to develop green fertilizer project in Brazil

From Casa dos Ventos

October 28, 2024

This is a machine translation of the press release originally published in Portuguese.

Casa dos Ventos, a reference in the renewable energy market and a protagonist in Brazil's energy transition, and Atlas Agro , a Swiss green nitrogen fertilizer company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to use wind and solar projects to provide renewable energy for a green fertilizer project produced using green hydrogen.

The partnership seeks to combine the competitiveness of Casa dos Ventos' renewable portfolio and solutions for the production of hydrogen at Atlas Agro's fertilizer plant, contributing to the expansion of the renewable matrix and the sustainability of Brazilian agriculture. Located in Uberaba (MG), the project is expected to start commercial operations in 2028 with the capacity to produce approximately 530 thousand tons of fertilizers per year. The plant will require approximately 300 MW of renewable energy, which will be supplied by Casa dos Ventos, for the production of green ammonium nitrate, considered essential for reducing carbon emissions in agricultural production.

The agribusiness sector is expected to account for more than 20% of Brazil's GDP in 2024 and the country is currently the largest global importer of the input, with 41 million tons of fertilizers imported in 2023.

The global production of nitrogen fertilizers is primarily done with natural gas, which makes the sector responsible for 2% of global carbon emissions. The project aims not only to produce a more sustainable input, but also to reduce Brazil's dependence on imports, mitigating supply risks of an essential good for our economy.

“Casa dos Ventos has been working to ensure that Brazil takes the lead in the energy transition through the decarbonization of key sectors, such as agribusiness. In addition to bringing autonomy to the countryside, the thesis generates significant investments in renewable energy for the country,” highlights Lucas Araripe, executive director of Casa dos Ventos.

“Atlas Agro’s mission is to decarbonize global nitrogen production. Cost-competitive and reliable energy is the foundation for producing sustainable nitrogen fertilizers at affordable prices for local farmers. We are excited to partner with Casa dos Ventos to bring locally produced, green nitrogen fertilizers to Brazilian agriculture,” said Knut Karlsen, co-founder of Atlas Agro and president of Atlas Agro Brasil.

Maria Gabriela da Rocha Oliveira, director of renewable energy at Atlas Agro, says: “The low costs of renewable energy in Brazil represent a competitive solution to enable domestic fertilizer production, promoting food security and industrial sustainability in the country. This agreement with Casa dos Ventos is a strategic step to explore the use of clean energy and accelerate the development of the project in Uberaba.”