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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NOx Conversion (NOx Conversion)

Teaser

Summary

Air pollution is a major global issue affecting the environment, human health and food security. It is estimated to cause 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide and reduces crop productivity which could feed millions of people yearly. Furthermore, air pollution related to carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (NOx) contribute significantly to climate change. The consequences are predicted to raise earthâ€™s temperature, more pronounced dryness and precipitation, increased sea level and others affecting significant our living environment and ourselves.
NOx is 310 times worse than CO2 as a greenhouse gas causing climate change and is produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilisers, fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning. Current efforts to reduce the occurrence of climate change have been focusing on decreasing the emission levels of greenhouse gasses. This can be achieved by using alternatives to fossil fuel burning for energy and transport and by increasing the ability of â€œsinksâ€ such as oceans and soils to accumulate these gases. The use of solar and wind energy, greater engine efficiency, protecting forests and use of bio-fuels are contributing to the reduction of gas emissions.
However, the urban living is responsible for approximately 30% of the issue. The rest comes from agricultural land using synthetic or organic fertilisers and cultivation practices releasing NOx. In the UK alone, NOx is responsible for 45,000 premature deaths per annum and contributes to increased risk of sensitisation and asthma resulting in a crippled national health service as the most common condition for urgent admissions.
The current need for a large-scale solution that significantly reduces NOx brings R-LeafÂ® in the heart of the issue. With financial support from the UK government, the European Union and University researchers, Crop Intellect Ltd has developed a specialised process to produce photocatalytic material that are activated under visible light. Typically, photocatalysts work under ultraviolet irradiation limiting their potential for use in large scale situation. Further, the current processes known as doping to produce such material are inhibitorily expensive to use in large scale in any industry. Crop Intellectâ€™s process has enabled the manufacturing of the highly active material in a very low cost, in an environmentally friendly way and without the use of solvents. The material is target specific to degrade NOx and other airborne pollutants.
The invention aims to utilise the cost-effective manufacturing of specialty material to remove NOx from the atmosphere alleviating climate change, human health and environmental damage and convert it to a usable form of nutrient for agriculture resulting in increased yield, resource efficiency and cost reduction for farmers.
The project was completed successfully on time and confirmed the potential of the innovative technology to provide an effective method to remove NOx from the atmosphere and use its by-product to improve agricultural productivity and reduce the burden of the farming industry to the environment.

Work performed

The Phase I project covered a mix of technical, supportive and business plan development activities. Information on the requirements of the farmer for R-LeafÂ® and the preferred specifications for the product had to be collected to assist the development of a prototype. This allowed to test the manufacturing of the raw materials for scaling up and further the formulation of the raw materials into an end-product. It further allowed to calculate the cost of manufacturing and the performance of trials for calculating the benefit to the farmer.
Data collection from efficacy trials, efficacy of the raw material, regulatory checks, the benefit to NOx reduction and the potential to diversify the market using R-LeafÂ® were planned and executed prior to approaching stakeholders. Distributors, national and multinational companies in the sector were approached to propose the take up of R-LeafÂ® as a product or the utilisation of the raw material. This produced essential information to shape the business plan and decide on the best potential approach for market launch and capture. Efficacy trials in open field under standard farming practices in the EU demonstrated the efficacy of the R-LeafÂ® product at 20% increased yield providing higher than 10:1 ROI. Further, the product significantly improved a green-wall health and vigour (Picture 1). Results confirmed that the material produce a 10-fold higher efficacy than the pre-processed (Picture 2) and this is the first time this has been reported using a method that is scalable.
The main achievements of the projects were the data collection to understand the market for decision making, the confirmation of efficacy in the field with several external influencers and decision makers, the demonstration of scalability for the manufacturing of the material and the product and confirmed interest to sell the R-leafÂ® as a licensed technology and also as an end-product.
The results generated were shared with stakeholders and covered under NDAs where required. The data will further be used to shape the business plan as Crop Intellect envisage to submit a Phase II application to implement the strategy for commercialisation of the R-LeafÂ® technology.

Final results

Nitrogen pollution is a significant environmental problem in Europe and around the world as its impacts include contributions to global warming, acid rain, eutrophication and the formation of precursor pollutants including ozone (O3). Nitrogen pollution needs to be reduced to around a quarter of its current volume if we are to avoid crossing a â€˜deleterious or even catastrophic planetary boundary. To address this problem the EU has introduced directives, such as 2001/81/EC, 2008/50/EC. Tackling nitrogen pollution also requires trans-national cooperation beyond European borders (i.e., Gothenburg Protocol of the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). The CLRTAP involves Member States of the EU and other nations, including the USA, Canada, and the Russian Federation.
The current drive is to produce new formulations that will allow crops to convert atmospheric NOx to nutrients for improving crop growth and yield. Our technology is set to revolutionise the market currently dominated by regulatory motivated farming practices to reduce N fertiliser usage.
The SMEI Phase 1 project focused on two key areas of our technology: (i) understanding the environmental impact, and (ii) developing a data ownership approach that satisfies security concerns in terms of agricultural usage benefit. To promote uptake beyond initial entry we must prove the benefits of our technology and disseminate these to all stakeholders. This is the activity in the Enhanced EIC Accelerator (SME Instrument Phase 2) proposal.
Socio-economic benefits include contributing to reduction of nitrogen pollution related costs as well as reduction in inferred social costs of health impacts from NOx. Delivering these benefits to the end-user will reduce the cost of nitrogen input and whilst increasing crop yield, providing an attractive ROI.