Ammobia May Have The Fix to a 100 Year-old Climate Problem

From Climate Solutions News by RESET Media

May 8, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 21

About this episode

The episode discusses innovative ammonia production technology and its implications for decarbonization and the maritime fuel industry.

Ammonia production has barely changed in 100 years. It still relies on the Haber-Bosch process, runs at extreme temperatures and pressures, and accounts for close to 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But with ammonia now emerging as a leading candidate for zero-carbon maritime fuel and a hydrogen carrier for the energy transition, the pressure to decarbonise its production has never been greater. In this episode, Dominic Shales speaks with Karen Baert, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Ammobia, which is developing what it calls Haber-Bosch 2.0: a modular ammonia production technology that operates at ten times lower pressure and 150 degrees Celsius lower temperature than conventional facilities, cutting capital costs by up to half. In January 2025, Ammobia closed a $7.5 million seed round backed by Shell Ventures, Air Liquide, Chevron Technology Ventures, and MOL Switch, the venture capital arm of Mitsui OSK Lines. Karen and Dominic discuss why conventional ammonia has been so difficult to decarbonise, why cost matters more than carbon in today's market, how modular production close to end users changes the economics, and what the rapid growth of ammonia-fuelled…

People in this episode

Host: Dominic Shales

Guest: Karen Baert

Topics covered

ammonia production
decarbonization
maritime fuel
energy transition
industrial technology
startup commercialization

Keywords

ammonia
Haber-Bosch process
greenhouse gas emissions
decarbonization
maritime fuel
energy transition
modular production
startup
industrial technology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ammobia, Shell Ventures, Air Liquide, Chevron Technology Ventures, MOL Switch

Books & works: Women Scientist of the Year

Places: San Francisco, Belgium