Venture capital firm NetZero Tech Ventures has announced an investment in CatAmmon, a company focused on developing a cutting-edge ammonia cracking catalyst. This innovation is designed to lower costs while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions within the hydrogen supply chain.
Clean hydrogen is widely recognized as essential for decarbonizing various sectors, including industry and transportation. However, challenges persist in its storage and transportation due to its low density, requiring either extreme cooling or high-pressure storage. Ammonia is emerging as a promising carrier for long-distance hydrogen transport, provided it can be efficiently “cracked” back into hydrogen at its destination. This “cracking” process involves separating ammonia molecules into hydrogen and nitrogen.
CatAmmon’s breakthrough lies in its ceramic-based catalyst. According to NetZero, this catalyst significantly reduces the ammonia cracking temperature from the traditional 700–800°C range to 400–450°C.
“This temperature reduction improves process efficiency, extends the lifetime of cracking facilities, and significantly lowers energy consumption. Additionally, the catalyst is produced without the use of rare metals and can be manufactured at relatively low temperatures, contributing to its lower environmental impact and cost-effectiveness. We believe that these characteristics position it to become a new standard for ammonia cracking,” stated a representative from NetZero.
It is worth noting the ammonia cracking market is poised for substantial growth. NetZero indicated that as of October 2024, at least 11 ammonia crackers were in development for hydrogen import, further emphasizing that “efficient ammonia cracking solutions—like CatAmmon’s low-cost, low-emission catalyst—are essential to scaling a global hydrogen supply chain.”
“With CatAmmon’s breakthrough technology, we’re taking another step toward making clean hydrogen more accessible and cost-effective,” the venture capital company concluded.
