Arlington, VA – The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today announced the launch of the Verified Ammonia Carbon Intensity (VACI) program, a voluntary certification of the carbon footprint of ammonia production at a specific facility. VACI is the first program of its kind and is designed to provide ammonia consumers seeking to reduce emissions across their supply chains with an independent and certifiable carbon intensity score.
The VACI certification framework standardizes the approach for calculating the carbon intensity of ammonia encompassing all aspects of ammonia manufacturing, from feedstock production through the finished product at the plant gate. Producers will use the VACI standard to calculate the carbon intensity of ammonia produced at their facilities. An independent, third-party auditor will then verify or validate that the carbon intensity score is accurate.
“Ammonia is a critical input for agriculture, NOx emissions control, and many commercial products, including fabric, paper, and pharmaceuticals,” said TFI president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “As agriculture and other industries increasingly look to develop more sustainable and resilient supply chains, the Verified Ammonia Carbon Intensity program provides ammonia consumers with certifiable transparency that will allow them to quantify the positive impact using low-carbon ammonia has on their greenhouse gas emissions footprint.”
Ammonia, which has a chemical composition of NH3, is one of the most widely produced industrial chemicals in the world. Ammonia production, which typically uses natural gas as a feedstock for its hydrogen component, is an energy-intensive process with substantial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as a byproduct of the production process. Many ammonia producers in the United States are investing in technologies to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions from ammonia production. VACI enables producers to document the varying levels of emissions reduction these technologies provide.
The VACI program was developed by TFI in collaboration with technical industry experts from CF Industries, LSB, Nutrien, OCI, and Yara, and guided by Hinicio, a leading strategic and technical consulting firm specializing in hydrogen and its derivatives and industrial decarbonization. The standard is aligned with International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission standards ISO/IEC 17029, ISO 14064, and ISO 14067. Facilities certified under the program include Nutrien Redwater and CF Industries Donaldsonville with audits that have been completed by SCV Consulting Ltd. and TÜV SÜD America, Inc. Audits for LSB Industries El Dorado and CVR Energy’s Coffeyville facilities are in progress.
VACI is initiating a 60-day public consultation period for ammonia consumers and stakeholders to provide feedback on the program and its methodology via this survey. VACI intends to refine the program based on comments received.
###
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is the leading voice of the nation’s fertilizer industry. Tracing its roots back to 1883, TFI’s membership includes fertilizer producers, wholesalers, retailers and trading firms. TFI’s full-time staff, based in Washington, D.C., serves its members through legislative, educational, technical, economic information and public communication programs. Find more information about TFI online at TFI.org and follow us on Twitter at @Fertilizer_Inst. Learn more about TFI’s nutrient stewardship initiatives at nutrientstewardship.org and on Twitter at @4rnutrients.
