Pivot Bio achieves significant greenhouse gas reductions in 2023

Pivot Bio has recently announced that its customers have achieved a reduction of over 932,000 metric tons (MT) in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions since early 2022. This reduction is primarily due to the adoption of microbial nitrogen solutions, enhancing nitrogen management efficiency across farming operations. According to the company’s 2023 Impact Report, this achievement equates to the annual emissions of approximately two and a half gas-fired power plants, marking a significant pace of emissions reductions within the agricultural sector.

The report details the use of Pivot Bio’s products in 2023, where growers avoided emitting more than 700,000 MT of CO2e, an amount nearly 20 times greater than the capacity of the leading direct air capture facility in Iceland. Karsten Temme, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Pivot Bio, emphasized the effectiveness of microbial nitrogen. “When integrated as a core element of crop nutrition plans, microbial-produced nitrogen substantially cuts greenhouse gas emissions, thereby making a positive on-farm impact that reverberates through global supply chains,” Temme explained.

Additionally, the report highlights Pivot Bio’s N-OVATOR program, an insetting initiative focusing on nitrous oxide emissions reduction. This program connects growers with corporations aiming to reduce their Scope 3 emissions, including major consumer packaged goods companies and grain buyers. In 2023, this initiative linked nearly 400,000 acres of farmland with downstream partners, facilitating the reduction of almost 140,000MT of permanent, nonreversible emissions.

Pivot Bio CEO Chris Abbott described the transformative potential of these collaborations. “Through strategic partnerships formed via our N-OVATOR program, we are not only enhancing sustainability but also driving economic benefits across the agricultural supply chain,” said Abbott. He highlighted that such collaborations offer a win-win scenario for all parties involved, from farmers to traditional fertilizer manufacturers, by delivering both improved sustainability impacts and economic advantages.

Pivot Bio’s innovative approach addresses the significant environmental footprint of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, which account for 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Their products are now used on several million acres across the United States, providing up to 25% of a plant’s nitrogen needs, thereby improving the profitability, sustainability, and productivity of agricultural practices.