Unicorns Podcast: PlasmaLeap’s Clean-Tech Journey

Host Justin Kelly – former broadcast journalist and PR veteran – chats with leaders from across Australia and internationally on business strategy, what it takes to build a successful company, how to overcome challenges, and advice for those on a similar journey.

In this episode, Justin interviews Professor PJ Cullen and Samantha Cullen, co-founders of the clean-tech start-up business PlasmaLeap Technologies.

PlasmaLeap can create fertiliser on demand in a groundbreaking technology that could save Australian farmers $400m a year. The innovation promises to put money back in farmers’ pockets and revolutionise the global fertiliser industry, potentially reducing its massive carbon footprint.

PlasmaLeap’s technology marks a significant departure from the century-old processes, which have been the backbone of fertiliser production since the early 1900s. While incredibly efficient, these methods relies heavily on fossil fuels and produces significant CO2 emissions.

In contrast, PlasmaLeap’s technology operates with renewable electricity, air, and water. The company has achieved production rates that make it competitive with the traditional process, reaching 20 kilowatt-hours per kilogram for green ammonia production.

The key to PlasmaLeap’s potential success lies in its economic competitiveness. By eliminating transportation costs, utilising renewable power generation, and accessing carbon credits, the company expects to offer farmers discounts on fertiliser in the region of 10%. In this podcast, the founders describe how they did it and how they plan to commercialise the venture.