{"id":45201,"date":"2016-04-25T16:56:55","date_gmt":"2016-04-25T20:56:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=45201"},"modified":"2016-05-08T06:08:55","modified_gmt":"2016-05-08T10:08:55","slug":"cu-boulder-nrel-scientists-make-fertilizer-sunlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/cu-boulder-nrel-scientists-make-fertilizer-sunlight\/","title":{"rendered":"CU-Boulder & NREL Scientists Make Ammonia For Fertilizers From Sunlight"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A group of scientists led by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)<\/a> and the University of Colorado-Boulder<\/a> has developed a new, eco-friendly method to produce ammonia, the main ingredient of fertilizers, using light. This study also included researchers from Utah State University (USU) and Montana State University (MSU).<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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\"IMAGE\"<\/a>
This is CU-Boulder Assistant Professor Gordana Dukovic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Discovery details<\/h3>\n

The research team discovered light energy can be used to change dinitrogen (N2), a molecule made of two nitrogen atoms, to ammonia (NH3), a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. The researchers hope the newly discovered, light-driven chemical process that creates ammonia can lead to future developments that will enhance global agricultural practices while decreasing the dependence of farmers on fossil fuels.<\/p>\n

Traditionally there have been two main ways to transform nitrogen, the most common gas in Earth’s atmosphere, for use by living organisms:<\/p>\n