EarthRenew CEO Keith Driver: CCm Partnership Adds Value to Organic Fertilizer Products

EarthRenew (CSE:ERTH) CEO Keith Driver spoke with Investing News Network (INN) about the company’s partnership with CCm Technologies, which has allowed EarthRenew to increase the nitrogen content of its organic fertilizer products.

EarthRenew is developing product formulations that use carbon content to help build the soil into the perfect environment for growing high-yield crops with a focus on organic, sustainable food production. The company’s pelleted fertilizer products provide for easy application directly in the seed row, maximizing efficiency and agronomic value.

EarthRenew has added CCm Technologies’ carbon capture and nitrogen fertilizer enhancement technology to its commercial-scale fertilizer production facility located in Strathmore, Alberta. The addition of the technology to its production process increases the grade of the nitrogen content of the fertilizer product, an attractive proposition for farmers. The company expects to make its first sales in the spring of 2021.

Below is a transcript of our interview with EarthRenew CEO Keith Driver. It has been edited for clarity and brevity.

INN: What initially attracted EarthRenew to partner with CCm Technologies?

EarthRenew CEO Keith Driver: Traditionally, fertilizers are purchased on nitrogen content. Our EarthRenew 2-1-2 organic fertilizer product is really high in organic carbon, but the fact that the nitrogen value is quite low was causing some friction in the market. While there is value in terms of the organic carbon content, it just seemed like there was an opportunity to really drive value by upgrading the nitrogen levels to be more in line with what the market values. So, we were looking for how we might do that while maintaining the integrity of the product. How do you treat the product, keep it organic and increase the nitrogen value?

CCm Technologies had been part of the CarbonCure XPRIZE here in Alberta, so they were on the radar locally and it was a great fit. We were looking for a way to make it easy for our customers to understand the full value of our product. They have a commercially proven technology that can enhance the nitrogen content in our fertilizer product without destroying the integrity of the carbon content. Our EarthRenew product can be run through the CCm designed mixer using the CO2 generated from our turbines and a nitrogen source. Their secret sauce is the method of mixing those two inputs together without modifying or decaying the organic carbon component of the product.

INN: What’s the benefit to customers in using this enhanced fertilizer product?

KD: The resulting EarthRenew fertilizer product has a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) ratio of 7:1:2 and there are just not a lot of other products in the organic space that can get up into the sevens in terms of nitrogen. Our customers will save money with the ability to apply less product to get the desired amount of nitrogen. And while they may be using less product, the value they place on that is much higher. We will target customers that require more nitrogen on their field, including those with high-yield crops that place a premium on organic fertilizers with a higher NPK ratio. They can use this formulation to get a higher nitrogen component without giving up any of the organic carbon or other values that they were getting through the original EarthRenew formula.

INN: How important is it to offer multiple variations and product ratios?

KD: Farmers are now able to collect and analyze data about their crops from sensors, drones and other technologies that can help to determine what their operation needs to improve, field by field and crop by crop. At different points in the growing season and from one crop to the next, they may need varying levels of nitrogen. So, having a suite of fertilizer products that are similar in formulation but vary in NPK ratios allows farmers to customize their operations from season to season. For us, giving farmers the ability to select the product that has the most value for them in their field in any given growing season is very important for our relationships and engagement with our customers.

INN: How do you see CCm Technologies and EarthRenew working together moving forward?

KD: CMm Technologies has a number of installations in Europe and this will be their first commercial installation in North America. So, there will be some opportunities for us to work cooperatively and position this product to our mutual benefit. Primarily, CCm is a technology company that provides opportunities for innovation, and we plan to work with them to see if we can develop an organic fertilizer with an 8:1:2 NPK ratio. We see opportunities to benefit from further growth and innovation from their side.

INN: Can CCm’s processing technology be integrated within EarthRenew’s Strathmore facility?

KD: Absolutely. At the EarthRenew Strathmore facility, we dry the material using a thermal process with heat generated by a natural gas turbine and then we mix it and turn it into a simple pellet form. Adding in CCm’s process requires just one more mixing step before the materials are pelleted. The facility was already designed with this kind of option in mind, there was already a spot on the floor for the equipment that we may want to incorporate in order to upgrade the product before we move from drying into pelleting. CCm’s technology has a very small footprint. It’s not going to change the flow of materials through our plant and it fits within the process flow-through design of our facility.

INN: How does incorporating CCm’s technology into the fertilizer production process impact EarthRenew’s ability to generate revenue?

KD: Product pricing in the fertilizer market is based largely on the nitrogen component. Increasing the nitrogen content in the fertilizer in turn increases the value customers will place on the product because there are few fertilizer products available to farmers that are above a five-level in nitrogen content in the NPK ratio. That’s really going to separate our products from competitors in this market and allow us to better serve our customers. It will definitely have a positive impact on our margins in general, but will also fit well with the marketing of the product and getting the attention of farmers.

This interview is sponsored by EarthRenew (CSE:ERTH). This interview provides information that was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN) and approved by EarthRenew in order to help investors learn more about the company. EarthRenew is a client of INN. The company’s campaign fees pay for INN to create and update this interview.

INN does not provide investment advice and the information on this profile should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. INN does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company profiled.

The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with EarthRenew and seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.

This interview may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, receipt of property titles, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. The issuer relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements. Investing in companies comes with uncertainties as market values can fluctuate.