Is Ammonia the Secret to Clean Energy for Heavy-Duty Trucks and Ships?
The world needs power. Big industries, like shipping and construction, use a lot of it. For a long time, this power has come from burning fossil fuels, which puts carbon into the air. Many people are looking for cleaner ways to power our world. One company, Amogy, is working on a solution that uses ammonia.
Ammonia is a chemical you might know from cleaning supplies or fertilizer. But it can also hold a lot of energy. Amogy has found a way to unlock this energy without creating carbon emissions. This could be a very important step for industries that have found it difficult to switch to clean energy sources.
How Amogy Turns Ammonia into Clean Power
Amogy has a special technology that “cracks” ammonia. Think of it like taking something apart to see what’s inside. Ammonia, with the chemical name NH3, is made of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms bonded together. Amogy’s system breaks these bonds to release the hydrogen.
This process is different from simply burning ammonia. Instead of burning, the separated hydrogen goes into a fuel cell. A fuel cell is like a battery that never runs out as long as you give it fuel. Inside the fuel cell, the hydrogen mixes with oxygen from the air to create electricity. The only things left over are water and nitrogen, which is a harmless gas that already makes up most of the air we breathe.
The key to making this work well is doing it efficiently. Cracking ammonia requires heat, and older methods needed very high temperatures, which wasted energy. Amogy’s process uses special materials called catalysts to make the reaction happen at lower temperatures. This makes their system more efficient and less expensive.
Why Ammonia is a Good Choice for Fuel
Hydrogen is a very clean fuel, but it is difficult to store and transport. It needs to be kept at very high pressures or at extremely cold temperatures, which is expensive and complex. Ammonia offers a simpler solution.
High Energy Density
Ammonia can store a lot of energy in a small space. In fact, it has an energy density that is five times higher than modern lithium-ion batteries. This means a vehicle powered by ammonia can travel much farther before needing to refuel compared to a similar battery-powered one.
Easier to Handle
Ammonia can be stored as a liquid under moderate pressure, similar to propane. This makes it much easier, safer, and cheaper to store and transport than pure hydrogen. Existing infrastructure for transporting ammonia can be used, which helps speed up its adoption.
These advantages make ammonia an excellent candidate for powering vehicles and machines that need a lot of power and need to operate for long hours, such as cargo ships, semi-trucks, and heavy equipment used in mining and construction.
Powering the Toughest Industries
Some industries are known as “hard-to-abate,” meaning they are very difficult to decarbonize. Batteries are not practical for them because they are too heavy and don’t provide enough power for a long enough time. Amogy is targeting these specific sectors:
- Shipping: Giant cargo ships that cross oceans need a huge amount of fuel. Ammonia can be stored on board in large tanks, providing the power needed for long voyages.
- Heavy-Duty Transport: Semi-trucks that carry goods across the country can be refueled with ammonia quickly, similar to how they refuel with diesel today.
- Construction and Mining: Heavy machinery on construction sites or in mines often operates in remote locations where charging large batteries isn’t possible. Ammonia provides a portable and powerful energy source.
- Data Centers: As the world becomes more digital, data centers require a constant and reliable source of power. Green ammonia can be used in stationary power generators to provide clean backup power or even primary power, reducing reliance on the grid and diesel generators.
From Small Tests to Real-World Success
To prove its technology works, Amogy started with small projects and gradually moved to larger ones. This systematic approach demonstrated that their ammonia-to-power system can be scaled up effectively.
- A 5kW Drone: The first test involved powering a small drone, showing the basic concept worked.
- A 100kW Tractor: Next, they scaled up the system to power a full-sized John Deere tractor, proving it could handle the demands of heavy agriculture.
- A 300kW Semi-Truck: In 2023, Amogy successfully demonstrated its technology in a Class 8 semi-truck, a major step toward decarbonizing the trucking industry.
- A 1MW Tugboat: The biggest achievement came in 2024 when Amogy retrofitted a tugboat, the NH3 Kraken, to run on its 1-megawatt ammonia-to-power system. This was the world’s first ammonia-powered vessel and a landmark moment for the clean shipping industry.
These successful demonstrations have attracted significant attention and investment. Founded in 2020, Amogy has raised substantial funding, including from Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, showing strong confidence from the industry in its technology and approach.
A Future Powered by Green Ammonia
The work being done by Amogy is part of a much larger trend toward “green ammonia.” Not all ammonia is created equal.
Traditionally, ammonia is made using natural gas or other fossil fuels. This process, known as the Haber-Bosch process, is very energy-intensive and is responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is often called “gray” or “brown” ammonia.
Green ammonia, on the other hand, is produced using a clean process. It starts with water and renewable electricity, from sources like solar or wind power. The electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through a process called electrolysis. This “green” hydrogen is then combined with nitrogen from the air to create ammonia. The entire process is carbon-free.
Industry experts predict that the demand for ammonia could triple by 2050, with most of this new demand being for low-carbon ammonia. This shift is expected to drive trillions of dollars in new infrastructure investments worldwide.
More Than Just Fuel: Ammonia’s Other Clean Uses
While its use as a clean fuel is exciting, green ammonia has other important applications.
- Energy Storage: Renewable energy sources like wind and solar don’t produce power all the time. Green ammonia can be produced when there is excess electricity and stored. Later, it can be used to generate electricity when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.
- Clean Fertilizer: Around 80% of the ammonia produced today is used to make fertilizer for farms. By switching from gray ammonia to green ammonia, the agricultural industry can dramatically reduce its carbon footprint.
One company focusing on this area is Nitricity. They have developed a technology that produces nitrogen fertilizer on-site using only air, water, and renewable electricity. They are currently testing their green fertilizer on crops like almonds, spinach, and lettuce, aiming to provide farmers with a more sustainable option.
The journey to a cleaner planet requires new ideas and bold solutions, especially for the industries that form the backbone of our global economy. Ammonia, when produced and used cleanly, offers a versatile and powerful pathway to reduce emissions. Companies like Amogy and Nitricity are at the forefront, turning this potential into a practical reality. Their work shows that even the toughest-to-power sectors can move toward a sustainable future.