In 2024, the company retrofitted a tugboat with Amogy's ammonia-to-power system, fueling it by green ammonia as it sailed through a New York waterway. The system uses an onboard ammonia cracker to generate hydrogen, which is then sent through a fuel cell, producing electricity without carbon emissions—and demonstrating a promising alternative to traditional marine fuels.

“There is nothing like field experience,” Jo noted. “Deploying technology to the field where the product would ultimately be operating gives high value in the early stage of R&D.”

Reflecting on his journey from South Korea to the U.S., Jo shared how adjusting to a new culture and speaking up in an environment that valued open dialogue were early hurdles, but an experience he came to appreciate later.

“At Amogy, our goal is to condense the functionality of a full-scale power plant into something the size of a cabinet,” Jo said. “Achieving that requires integration across multiple engineering disciplines.” Building the right team for that challenge, he said, was one of his proudest accomplishments.

As the company prepares to launch commercial efforts from its new manufacturing facility in Houston, Jo remains focused on the long game: reaching the industries where electrification falls short.

“We are trying to provide a solution for these hard-to-abate sectors where ammonia can play a pivotal role as a new fuel and energy carrier,” he said. “Then, we believe larger adoption will follow in other sectors where mitigation methods exist, but ammonia can be a more attractive long-term solution.”