Nitrogen-based fertilizers like ammonia and urea are vital for global agriculture and industry — but their conventional production via the Haber-Bosch process is energy-intensive, polluting, and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly nitrous oxide.

Dr. Dandan Gao of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), together with colleagues from JGU and the Harbin Institute of Technology in Shenzhen, China, presents a compelling case for pulsed electrolysis as a sustainable alternative in a recent Minireview published in Angewandte Chemie.

Pulsed electrolysis leverages renewable electricity — ideally from solar or wind — to convert nitrogen compounds (like nitrate or nitrite) from air and water into ammonia and even urea, all at room temperature. Unlike traditional electrolysis, this method modulates voltage and current in pulses, improving efficiency and naturally matching the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources.

The team conducted the first comprehensive comparison of all existing studies on pulsed electrolysis for nitrogen reduction, identifying key advances, challenges, and opportunities. Their goal: to accelerate research and development by providing a clear roadmap for the field — ultimately transforming environmental nitrogen waste into valuable, low-carbon fertilizers.

This technology could revolutionize the global nitrogen cycle, making fertilizer production cleaner, more efficient, and fully compatible with a renewable energy future.

Read the full press release here.