Technology Roadmap and Stakeholder Input Evolve National Network for NSF CASFER Commercialization
Outcome/Accomplishment
The Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER)—a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) headquartered at Texas Tech University (TTU)—secured a technology license and sponsored scale-up of E-GROW™ through a partnership with Inside Out LLC, marking a major step towards commercial deployment. Now researchers at NSF CASFER have completed structured stakeholder engagements across the full value chain and across diverse crops and soil types. A collaboration with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) produced technology assessment briefs and market analysis reports aligned with NSF CASFER’s development priorities.
Impact/Benefits
A national testbed network, spanning wastewater treatment plants, agricultural systems, and crop field trials, will generate the regulatory-grade performance and agronomic data needed to accelerate real-world adoption of NSF CASFER’s technologies, including E-GROW™. To date, CASFER’s testbed performance data has supported product testing across multiple partner institutions and directly informed engineering planning for a full-scale biosolids processing facility by CASFER's first Platinum industry partner, Inside Out LLC. The waste management partnerships and IFDC's independent market analysis collectively build the evidence base for business cases that will guide adoption decisions and strategic partnerships as NSF CASFER technologies advance toward commercialization.
Explanation/Background
Two new mobile testbed trailers are now under construction at TTU. The trailers are designed for deployment across diverse U.S. conditions, further strengthening NSF CASFER’s distributed validation and scale-up platform. For example, scale-up of E-GROW™ through Inside Out LLC expanded from 0.2 square meters to approximately 3 cubic meters of electrode capacity.
Structured stakeholder engagements included introductory discussions with two of North America's largest waste management operators—Waste Management (WM) and GFL Environmental. Seven in-depth producer interviews were completed spanning Texas, Kansas, and Florida to address a range of crops and soil types. Producer research identified clear product positioning opportunities, including preference for liquid formulations, low salt content, combined fast/slow-release properties, and locally produced supply, directly informing technology development priorities.
Location
Lubbock, Texaswebsite
Start Year
Energy and Sustainability
Energy and Smart Infrastructure
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Outcome/Accomplishment
The Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER)—a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) headquartered at Texas Tech University (TTU)—secured a technology license and sponsored scale-up of E-GROW™ through a partnership with Inside Out LLC, marking a major step towards commercial deployment. Now researchers at NSF CASFER have completed structured stakeholder engagements across the full value chain and across diverse crops and soil types. A collaboration with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) produced technology assessment briefs and market analysis reports aligned with NSF CASFER’s development priorities.
Location
Lubbock, Texaswebsite
Start Year
Energy and Sustainability
Energy and Smart Infrastructure
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Impact/benefits
A national testbed network, spanning wastewater treatment plants, agricultural systems, and crop field trials, will generate the regulatory-grade performance and agronomic data needed to accelerate real-world adoption of NSF CASFER’s technologies, including E-GROW™. To date, CASFER’s testbed performance data has supported product testing across multiple partner institutions and directly informed engineering planning for a full-scale biosolids processing facility by CASFER's first Platinum industry partner, Inside Out LLC. The waste management partnerships and IFDC's independent market analysis collectively build the evidence base for business cases that will guide adoption decisions and strategic partnerships as NSF CASFER technologies advance toward commercialization.
Explanation/Background
Two new mobile testbed trailers are now under construction at TTU. The trailers are designed for deployment across diverse U.S. conditions, further strengthening NSF CASFER’s distributed validation and scale-up platform. For example, scale-up of E-GROW™ through Inside Out LLC expanded from 0.2 square meters to approximately 3 cubic meters of electrode capacity.
Structured stakeholder engagements included introductory discussions with two of North America's largest waste management operators—Waste Management (WM) and GFL Environmental. Seven in-depth producer interviews were completed spanning Texas, Kansas, and Florida to address a range of crops and soil types. Producer research identified clear product positioning opportunities, including preference for liquid formulations, low salt content, combined fast/slow-release properties, and locally produced supply, directly informing technology development priorities.