Amogy and JGC join forces to advance ammonia cracking technology

U.S.-based ammonia-to-power solutions provider Amogy has partnered with Japanese engineering company JGC to advance large-scale ammonia cracking technology for low-carbon hydrogen production.

As part of this partnership, Amogy has seen the first pilot plant deployment of its ammonia cracking catalyst in a milestone that is said to “underscore ammonia’s expanding role as a crucial enabler of the global hydrogen economy”.

Specifically, JGC selected Amogy’s low ruthenium content catalyst for use in its ammonia cracking demonstration project as part of its participation in a broader initiative by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to establish a competitive hydrogen supply chain.

In addition to supplying the catalyst, Amogy will provide support to ensure optimal performance and reliability in large-scale operations. 

As explained, the aim of this project is to develop and optimize a large-scale hydrogen production system utilizing ammonia cracking technology by expanding energy-efficient processes that have been commercialized on a small scale.

The initiative seeks to bridge that gap by advancing component technologies and system optimization.

Overall, JGC’s goal is to enable the large-scale deployment of hydrogen production from ammonia, aligning with Japan’s national strategy to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as a key energy source, by 2030.

“Large scale ammonia cracking technology is one of the last elements to be developed and commercialized to realize clean hydrogen-ammonia supply chain globally at industrial scale,” said Masahiro Aika, Executive Vice President and Technology Commercialization Officer of JGC Holdings. “We are excited to collaborate with Amogy to improve JGC’s ammonia cracking process by utilizing Amogy’s low ruthenium content catalysts.” 

Seonghoon Woo, CEO and Co-Founder of Amogy, added: “This first pilot plant deployment of our ammonia cracking catalyst represents a major achievement for Amogy and a breakthrough for the hydrogen industry.

“We are proud to contribute to this pioneering project and play a crucial role in the advancement of large-scale hydrogen production using ammonia as a carrier. Our catalyst technology will help improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of ammonia cracking, a key component in building a competitive hydrogen supply chain.” 

Earlier this year, Amogy raised $56 million in venture financing to accelerate the commercialization of its technology in markets such as maritime and stationary power generation.

In September 2024, the company demonstrated its ammonia-to-electrical power system with the maiden voyage of the “world’s first” carbon-free ammonia-powered vessel.