The nitrogen “problem” that pisses everybody off these days is not a problem. Not really. It is more of an artificial problem. It is a government-invented problem. At least if one compares it to the climate problem. Which is in reality an energy problem. So we’re back at energy. The real problem. Compared to the energy and climate problems, the nitrogen problem is a wuzz.
So, why talk about nitrogen anyway, then? Because there are hidden links.
Here’s the first link between nitrogen and energy.
It seems that the Flemish government are using the complex and extremely strict and abstract nitrogen deposition regulation primarily as leverage against new gas-fired power plants, in particular the plants Engie would like to build. Engie would like to close down the Belgian nuclear plants and replace them by some shady “renewable” fleet, of which they know for a fact it cannot ever meet the energy demand, but fully backed up by gas-fired plants of their own.
Because they are a gas company.
Because they are not a nuclear company.
Because they would like to be funded by government money to dismantle their nuclear plants. In the future plans of Engie, nuclear profit is nowhere in sight.
Because they would like to be funded by the government for deploying a bit of renewables here and there.
Because they would like to be funded by the government for building new gas-fired plants.
Because they are a gas company.
That is a lot of funding… for a gas company.
If Engie needs all that funding to survive, it has no reason to exist in the energy market, because alternatives do exist: the energy production market is actually very lucrative. As the gas market is profitable, it has no reason to be funded. If anyone feels renewables are the future, they should invest part of their profits in renewables. Many companies actually do.
So this link between nitrogen and energy is a shady one.
However, here’s the second link. And this one is pure physics.
Brigid promotes ammonia as a synthetic fuel to establish a carbon-neutral society in a short term, that is, until a carbon neutral synthetic hydrogen-methane cycle can be set up, which may take a few decades, because you need to grow trees. Although combustion with technical oxygen rather than air prevents most nitrogen deposition, the Brigid approach contradicts with the stringent nitrogen deposition rules.
Long story short: less carbon means more nitrogen.
So we need to reconsider the nitrogen deposition regulation. Because Brigid is existential.