As fossil fuels are withdrawn from use, sulfuric acid production for fertilizers will also decrease

 More than 80% of the global sulfur supply currently comes from the desulfurisation of crude oil and natural gas to reduce sulfur dioxide gas emissions that cause acid rain. As we move away from fossil fuels new ways of manufacture of Sulfuric acid need to be used. Sulfuric acid is a vital chemical in modern industry as it is required for the production of phosphorous fertilisers and for extracting rare metals from ores such as cobalt and nickel, which are used in high-performance lithium-ion batteries. The demand for sulfuric acid is set to rise from 246 to 400 million metric tonnes by 2040.So it is estimated there will be a shortfall in annual supply of between 100 and 320 million metric tonnes, or between 40 and 130% of current supply, depending on how quickly decarbonisation occurs. This will give an opportunity for new manufacturing processes to fill in the shortfall.


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