July 22, 2009
$20 a Gallon By: Christopher Steiner
Senior Editor for Forbes magazine and author Christopher Steiner has just released (7/01/09) a new book entitled $20 per Gallon. The book, a first of its kind on the subject of the increasing cost of gasoline goes beyond “peak oil” and the idea that we are coming to the end of the fossil fuel age. The book is based on the concept that as the world’s oil supplies continues to tighten and oil prices rise it not only will create world changing issues it will also create profound opportunity, changing our lives for the better.
Steiner’s book investigates in depth how far imbedded fossil fuel is in our daily lives. One area of which is fertilizer. As the price of oil increases it will create problems for our world’s farmers and food supply. Farmers will have to deal with the ever continuing price increases of fossil fuel based nitrogen fertilizers. Christopher makes sizeable mention of this, devoting an entire chapter to the subject and to Freedom Fertilizer, a Spirit Lake, IA based company. Freedom Fertilizer is promoting the production of renewable NH3 (nitrogen fertilizer) produced from the area’s bountiful wind resources.
Even though the ammonia (NH3) production process is quite complex the concept of green NH3 is quite simple. Steve Gruhn, Freedom Fertilizer llc President states, “As more and more wind turbines are installed in our upper Midwest region we are at the same time creating more and more excess generation capacity due to the nature of wind itself”. Gruhn goes on to say. “Wind being intermittent never blows at all the right times. When wind speeds are high and demand for electricity is low production of ammonia from this excess generation can take place”. Gruhn also states. “The real beauty is Freedom Fertilizer would be making use of wind resources that would or could not be utilized any other way. By producing NH3 in this manor we are creating a product that is critical to local corn production, creating new local jobs and literally storing wind energy, something that has been eluding the wind industry.
The idea of localized production of ammonia fertilizer from renewable wind energy is what captured Mr. Steiner’s attention and put Freedom Fertilizer in his new book. The rise of fertilizer prices due to the end of the fossil fuel era is one of world changing issues that Steiner identifies along with the creation of a profound opportunity, green NH3 fertilizer production from wind. The concept of renewable localized production of fertilizer in or near the same fields of crops requiring NH3 fertilizer is a critical part to the ability of this world to feed its ever growing population Steiner states. Steiner also goes on to make mention of the use of NH3 as fuel. In the future farmers could be producing all of their liquid fuel and fertilizer needs right where they need it. This localized production would return agriculture to 100% sustainability. Something that we have not had since the dawn of the fossil fueled tractor and the elimination of 4 legged horse power.
Spirit Lake based Freedom Fertilizer earlier this year received a USDA grant for feasibility study and business planning pertaining to the production of NH3 from wind energy. This group is headed by local businessmen Steve Gruhn and is made up of several local farmers. A separate entity, SAFE, LLc (Sustainable Ammonia Fertilizer Enterprise) has also been formed. Its President is Mark Rosenbury former COO of Sioux City based NH3 producer, Terra Industires. The SAFE group is made up of farmers and various other business professionals from around the State of Iowa. SAFE has just recently hired former Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Director, Mr Craig Arnold as SAFE/Freedom Fertilizer project director. Mr. Arnold is a LeMars, IA native. Mark Rosenbury states. “Our group is pleased and honored to have someone like Craig working on our project. The abilities and resources that he can bring to our SAFE project will most certainly add to the success of this venture” Craig Arnold stated. “once I got my arms around the concept of sustainable ammonia production I just couldn’t get the tremendous potential this project has off my mind. I am looking forward to the challenges and rewards that this project has to offer”.
July 20, 2009
Spirit Lake, IA. SAFE, LLC (Sustainable Ammonia Fertilizer Enterprise) board of directors announces they have named D. Craig Arnold, 49, as the Director of Project Management. As Director, Arnold will have responsibility for the day-to-day management and oversight for planning and feasibility study of SAFE’s goal of construction, and operation of a sustainable ammonia nitrogen production facility somewhere in the Upper Midwest area. SAFE, LLC is based in Spirit Lake.
Arnold will be taking over the position left vacated May 21st after the tragic death of Don VanderBrook. Don had been CEO of the Hydrogen Engine Center in Algona, IA prior to joining SAFE. Mr. Vanderbrook age 50 died from injuries resulting from a bicycle racing accident in Kenosha WI.
Prior to joining SAFE, LLC Arnold was employed as CEO at Plymouth Energy, Merrill, Ia where he oversaw the building from the ground up of a 50M-gallon ethanol production plant. Prior to Plymouth Energy he served as the Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's US Library Program, where he led the nationwide effort to bring access to computers and the internet to nearly 11,000 small towns and large cities in the United States. In that role, he was also responsible for ensuring the success of the Foundation's Native American Access to Technology Program as well as challenging International programs in Canada, Mexico, and Chile.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Arnold led the development of Gateway's Custom Manufacturing business, enabling the computer manufacturer to grow market share through integration of customer specific solutions into their core manufacturing and support operations.
At Northrop Corporation, Arnold played key leadership roles in the areas of facilities activation, manufacturing, testing, safety and quality improvement on the classified B2 Stealth Aircraft Program.
Arnold's positions over the last 20 years have given him a broad range of experience in business. SAFE LLC President Mark Rosenbury former COO of Sioux City based NH3 producer, Terra Industries states. “Our group is pleased and honored to have someone like Craig working on our project. The abilities and resources that he can bring to our SAFE project will most certainly add to the success of this venture” Craig Arnold stated. “Once I got my arms around the concept of sustainable ammonia production I just couldn’t get the tremendous potential this project has off my mind. I am looking forward to the challenges and rewards that this project has to offer”.
May 30, 2009
May 30th 2009
The Board of Directors and all personnel involved in SAFE/Freedom Fertilizer send out our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Don Vanderbrook SAFE LLC project manager. Don age 50 was tragically killed in a bicycling accident in Kenosha WI on May 21st, 2009. Don was former CEO of the Hydrogen Engine Center at Algona, IA and had only been with the SAFE project since January 1st , 2009 Since that time Don had made great progress in helping oversee SAFE, the planning and feasibility study for the production of ammonia fertilizer from wind power. “Don’s past experience as CEO at HEC and his background in electrical generation made for a perfect set of job skills for SAFE/Freedom Fertilizer. Don had a broad range of knowledge in areas such as hydrogen, ammonia and electrical power”, stated Steve Gruhn founder of Freedom Fertilizer. Steve went on to say. “Don approached our project in much the same way he did his velodrome biking that so tragically took his life. One speed no brakes as hard and fast as he could. This was evident in what he had accomplished and has been reflected back to us from all of the people he had worked with. He will be truly missed and hard to replace”
April 06, 2009
Iowa Corn Board Grant Recieved
News Release
Sustainable Ammonia Fertilizer Enterprises, LLC Announces Grant Award
April 6, 2009, Spirit Lake, IA
On March 20, 2009, Sustainable Ammonia Fertilizer Enterprises, Llc. (S.A.F.E.) and its farmer steering committee were notified that it is the recipient of a matching grant awarded by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. “S.A.F.E. and Iowa Corn is pleased to announce the awarding of this grant and we are honored to accept it. It will allow us to further our research into the production of Nitrogen fertilizer made from a renewable energy source, that being wind” said Steve Gruhn of Spirit Lake, IA S.A.F.E.’s founder. “We are gaining significant momentum and our timing for this venture could not be better” he continued.
“Iowa Corn is proud to offer grants to get businesses that can help the corn industry, off the ground,” said Jerry Main, Chairman of the Iowa Corn Industrial Usage and U.S. Production Committee. “We have had many successful ventures that started with the help of a grant from Iowa Corn.”
Mark Rosenbury of Des Moines, IA, S.A.F.E. Llc. President added: “We are pleased to be associated with the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and their innovative initiatives to promote the growing and diverse uses for corn in Iowa, the United States and globally.”
“This grant will allow us to continue our research to identify the best production methods and technologies available for renewable and sustainable ammonia,” said Don Vanderbrook, S.A.F.E. Llc. Program Director.
S.A.F.E., LLC, headquartered in Spirit Lake, IA, is engaged in the development of renewable based anhydrous ammonia fertilizer production technology to support the increased demand for bio fuels and conventional use crops. S.A.F.E. Llc. has recently been awarded grants from the Iowa Farm Bureau and the U.S.D.A. Value Added program as well. These grants are being utilized to further S.A.F.E.’s investigation and planning for the goal of producing Sustainable Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer from electrical energy created by the areas bountiful wind resources.
September 08, 2008
Freedom Fertilizer Recieves $100,000 grant
Freedom Fertilizer along with the Winds of Change committee believe that they have a great opportunity in NW Iowa to add additional value to a resource that they have quite an abundance of, wind. Freedom Fertilizer founder Steve Gruhn has been investigating wind issues for a number of years. He has been very encouraged by the tremendous growth that they have seen in the wind industry and it brings many areas of positive growth with it. But one of the items that concerned him was seeing the miles of transmission lines leaving the area. Steve said "When I looked at these power lines I saw something that reminded we of what happened in the 1970's with Ag production. Farmers at that time were encouraged to plant fence row to fence row, only to see the fruits of their labor loaded on 100 car unit trains and shipped from the area. Just like the power on these new transmission lines. Back then when the grain left in the 70's so did the livestock industry and when the livestock left, so did the meat packing industry and so on and so on. Soon after that it was the 1980's. I started farming then and know all to well where that left us". From that point on Mr Gruhn became determined to come up with away to to see if some way we could produce a product from wind power that would not only stay in Iowa but also do something that would enhance the industry that was already here. Hence the beginning of Freedom Fertilizer.
The Freedom Fertilizer/Winds of Change group will not only work on perfecting the wind to NH3 process but they will also use this money to fund business planning as well. Planning that will be needed to make a profitable venture from this wind to NH3 discovery process. Their preliminary work and study of this process is proving very favorable. Mr Gruhn says From what they have learned so far, much of which is posted on this website, they have every indication that Wind to NH3 is not only a viable venture but a profitable venture as well