Amogy's innovative ammonia cracking technology accelerates transition to zero-emission heavy transport

For quite some time now, ammonia has been seen as a promising alternative fuel that could potentially be free of carbon emissions. It offers not only a high energy density but also some notable advantages in terms of how easily it can be transported and stored compared to hydrogen. Since it’s already produced and distributed all over the world at large scales, the infrastructure for ammonia is fairly well-established. That makes it pretty appealing as a candidate to reshape our global energy systems, particularly for sectors that face tough decarbonisation challenges. That said, traditional ways of burning ammonia, or “cracking” it to extract hydrogen, run into some pretty significant issues. These include emissions of harmful nitrous oxides and the high amount of energy needed to split ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen.

Now, here’s where a startup called Amogy comes into the picture. It was founded by four alumni from MIT and claims to have created some groundbreaking technology capable of unlocking ammonia’s full potential as a major fuel source. Their proprietary catalyst is said to split ammonia into its basic components with up to 70% greater efficiency than current methods, that’s quite a jump. Importantly, this enables hydrogen production without actually burning the ammonia, which means no nasty byproducts are generated. This ammonia cracking tech underpins modular power systems, like fuel cells and engines, sidestepping the health concerns linked with regular ammonia combustion.

Since starting up in 2020, Amogy has already used this breakthroughs to power a surprising range of vehicles, including the world’s first ammonia-fueled drone, a tractor, a truck, and even a tugboat, all demonstrating that the technology can be scaled across various heavy-duty transport modes. They’ve also carved out partnerships with major players like Samsung, Saudi Aramco, KBR, and Hyundai, and have raised over $300 million to push toward commercialization. Their CEO, Seonghoon Woo, emphasizes that, well, at least to him, no other company has shown ammonia powering vehicles at the scale of ships and trucks, which puts Amogy pretty firmly at the forefront of this energy shift.

The core of Amogy’s technological edge hinges on its patented ammonia cracking catalyst. It allows for ultra-efficient conversion of ammonia directly into power without needing to burn it. The system is said to be up to 35% more efficient at reforming ammonia compared to existing technologies, and given that ammonia packs about three times more energy than hydrogen by volume, that makes it especially attractive for energy-hungry industries like maritime shipping, construction, mining, and heavy transportation. These sectors often struggle due to batteries’ limited energy density and the logistical complications of storing liquid hydrogen.

But the company’s innovations don’t stop just at the catalyst. They’re also working on lowering the operating temperatures of their cracking process and miniaturizing the whole system, making it possible to deploy modular units in various settings, more flexibly and at a lower cost. These modules can connect with hydrogen fuel cells or engines to deliver zero-emission power, without the need for diesel or producing CO₂. Interestingly enough, this design much of it stemming from their founders’ deep expertise in MIT’s mechanical and materials engineering programs, and their iterative, problem-solving approach, fits well within the typical startup culture of rapid innovation.

And they’ve achieved some pretty notable milestones recently, like unveiling the world’s first ammonia-powered, zero-emission semi-truck. They retrofitted a Class 8 Freightliner Cascadia with a 300kW ammonia-to-power system, a big leap forward from the initial 5kW ammonia-fueled drone just two years before. They’ve also demonstrated a hybrid fuel cell system in a tractor integrated with cracking modules, capable of sustained power output per refuel. These developments reflect a clear focus on heavy-duty, zero-emission vehicles.

Looking ahead, Amogy is forging even more partnerships. In 2024, it teamed up with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, POSCO Holdings, Seoul National University, and the American Bureau of Shipping, working on offshore ammonia cracking tech for marine fuels. There was also a 2022 collaboration with Yara Clean Ammonia to explore zero-emission shipping and a major contract with Samsung Heavy Industries to make ammonia-to-power systems. More recently, in April 2025, Amogy launched a pilot with JGC Holdings, aiming to advance large-scale ammonia cracking for producing low-carbon hydrogen.

As for future plans, well, they’re aiming for a 1-megawatt ammonia-to-power pilot project in Pohang, South Korea, in 2026, with intentions to scale up to about 40 megawatts by 2028 or 2029. The company’s actively working on projects in various countries, focusing on sectors where batteries just aren’t enough and where liquid hydrogen logistics are a real headache.

Seonghoon Woo points out that one of ammonia’s big advantages is that it stays liquid at room temperature, making storage and transportation simpler compared to hydrogen, which needs cryogenic conditions. Combine that with Amogy’s scalable catalyst and modular systems, and you get a compelling case for ammonia as a key player in decarbonizing heavy industries and transportation. Of course, challenges remain, like scaling up production and navigating the regulatory landscape, but the progress so far highlights a broader shift towards innovative materials science coupled with industrial cooperation. All of this is geared toward tackling carbon emissions in some of the most difficult-to-decarbonize sectors.

For countries like the UAE, which are heavily invested in climate tech and sustainable energy, ammonia-based solutions hold some serious promise. Given the region’s strategic location, close to major shipping routes and with ambitious renewable energy goals, technologies like Amogy’s could support national decarbonization efforts and diversify their energy sources. Their advanced ammonia tech might well complement existing plans for hydrogen and carbon capture, paving a new route to cut industrial emissions while leveraging the current fuel transportation infrastructure.

Overall, Amogy’s journey exemplifies how academic research, and particularly MIT’s cutting-edge work, can evolve into pioneering clean-energy startups. Its ammonia cracking tech is a shining example of how systemic innovation can help meet the demanding energy needs of heavy industry, shipping, and transportation, crucial sectors if we’re serious about achieving net-zero emissions in the UAE and worldwide.

Source: Noah Wire Services