Field‑Ready Urea Production Powered by Sun and Biobatteries Marks End of Three‑Year CONFETI Study

A pilot installation capable of synthesizing urea directly on agricultural land has been switched on, wrapping up a three‑year research effort known as the CONFETI project, which was coordinated by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Urea, the world’s most widely used nitrogen fertilizer, is typically manufactured in large‑scale plants and then shipped to farms, a process that consumes significant energy and generates transport‑related emissions. By producing the compound on site, the new system aims to cut those indirect costs and environmental impacts.

The CONFETI prototype couples solar panels with innovative biobatteries that store renewable electricity for continuous operation. Using the stored power, an electrochemical cell combines atmospheric nitrogen and carbon dioxide to form urea, eliminating the need for fossil‑fuel‑based synthesis routes. The design is modular, allowing it to be deployed in a variety of field conditions.

Research began in 2021 under the leadership of UAB researchers, who collaborated with a network of European partners to refine the technology and assess its practicality. Over the course of the project, the team iterated on battery chemistry, solar integration, and reaction efficiency, culminating in the field‑ready demonstrator now in operation.

Stakeholders see the development as a step toward more sustainable agriculture, especially in regions where fertilizer logistics are a major expense. By generating urea where it is applied, farmers could reduce reliance on long supply chains, lower greenhouse‑gas footprints, and potentially achieve cost savings. The initiative also aligns with broader EU objectives to decarbonise the agri‑food sector.

Looking ahead, the project consortium plans to expand testing across multiple crop sites, gather performance data, and explore pathways to commercial scale. If the technology proves economically viable, it could usher in a new generation of on‑site fertilizer production that supports resilient, low‑carbon farming systems.