Nitricity Breaks Ground on First-of-a-Kind Organic Fertilizer Facility in Central California
On September 12th, local leaders, farmers, investors, and community members gathered with us in Delhi, California to celebrate a milestone moment in sustainable agriculture: the official groundbreaking of our first-of-a-kind (FOAK) organic nitrogen fertilizer facility.
From left to right: Dr. Nicolas Pinkowski (CEO, Nitricity), Jayesh Goyal (CCO, Nitricity), Dr. Jay Schwalbe (CSO, Nitricity), Don Cameron (Board Member, CDFA), Lara Pierpoint (Managing Director, Trellis Climate), Mitch Rubin (Senior Director, Investments & Innovation, Elemental Impact), Corina Standiford (Vice President of Communications, Elemental Impact), Peter Navarra (Global Applied Sustainable Farming Lead, Driscoll’s), Dr. Joshua McEnaney (President and CTO, Nitricity), Lloyd Pareira Jr. (District 4 Supervisor, Merced County)
Backed by $10 million in FOAK project funding, including from Elemental Impact and Trellis Climate, this new facility will dramatically scale our production, marking a 100-fold increase in capacity and enabling commercial-scale volumes for the first time. Slated to begin operation in 2026, the facility has already sold out its full production capacity through 2028 through binding offtake agreements with organic growers in Central California.
Located in the heart of one of the most productive farming regions in the world, this facility will bring fertilizer production directly to the growers who need it most, reducing supply chain risks, cutting transportation costs, and ensuring farmers have reliable access to sustainable inputs right in their backyard.
Why This Matters: Rethinking Fertilizer From the Ground Up
Our product, Ash Tea, is a plant-based alternative to traditional nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers and is paving the way for a more sustainable future in agriculture. Conventional fertilizers rely heavily on fossil fuels and global supply chains, accounting for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, many organic fertilizers depend on inputs like fish remains, blood meal, or feather meal, byproducts of animal agriculture and industrial fishing that can carry strong odors and contamination risks.
By rethinking fertilizer from the ground up, we produce a fully plant-based and animal-free nitrogen fertilizer made only from upcycled almond shells, air, water, and renewable electricity. This approach guarantees:
No reliance on animal agriculture or fishing industries
Stable, scalable supply chains tied to renewable energy, not volatile commodity markets
Cleaner, farmer-friendly products with no strong odors or contamination risks
Irrigable and non-clogging, filtered for modern irrigation systems
Building More Than a Facility: Financing the First-of-a-Kind
FOAK infrastructure projects are notoriously difficult to finance. They exist in a space where venture capital is often too risk-focused, while traditional project finance requires years of operating history. To bridge that gap, we worked with Elemental Impact and Trellis Climate to creatively blend capital, bringing together catalytic funding, risk-tolerant climate investors, and offtake-backed revenue commitments.
This structure doesn’t just make one facility possible; it creates a blueprint for how to finance and de-risk sustainable infrastructure at scale. By aligning investor confidence with grower demand, we’ve built a model that ensures both financial durability and climate impact.
At the groundbreaking, we heard inspiring words from partners, growers, and local leaders who all share our vision for a more sustainable future in agriculture. The event was a powerful reminder that while we are building important physical infrastructure, we are also cultivating strong relationships with the land that sustains us, with the farmers who grow our food, and with the communities that support and rely on this work.
This project is more than just a new facility; it represents a deep commitment to regenerative farming practices, local economic resilience, and a climate-positive fertilizer supply chain.
“We’ve invested in more than 150 projects, and the challenge is clear: our sector needs breakthroughs not only in technology, but also in finance, community partnership, and project implementation. That’s why we’re excited to work with teams like Nitricity, who are ready to roll up their sleeves alongside us. Where we choose to invest our time and capital in the next five years will shape the next hundred.” - Danya Hakeem, VP of Portfolio, Elemental Impact
“Deploying climate hardtech and building FOAK projects is how we start making a real impact on climate change. Nitricity is setting a fantastic example for how climate startups can successfully do just that. They've assembled a blended capital stack and earned community support for producing a high-impact product the agriculture industry needs. We're thrilled to support Nitricity on their journey, and we're excited to continue funding exemplary companies building FOAK projects and getting climate infrastructure built.” - Lara Pierpoint, Managing Director of Trellis Climate
Nitricity CEO Dr. Nicolas Pinkowski addresses attendees at the September 12th groundbreaking.
What’s Next
As construction begins, our FOAK facility in Delhi represents more than just innovation in fertilizer production. It signals a shift toward agricultural solutions that are rooted in local upcycling, built for the needs of real farmers, and guided by long-term sustainability.
This is what the future of farming looks like: practical, responsible, and grounded in care for both people and the planet.
We’re proud to be building that future–starting right here in California.
