Swiss startup tests ammonia-based power in Detroit

• Winners in each city will be announced in March and split $1.5 million in funding.

How it works: Neology is developing a system that converts liquid ammonia into hydrogen and then into electricity using a fuel cell, producing water as the primary byproduct.

• The process involves an "ammonia cracker," a device that splits ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen. The hydrogen is then fed into a fuel cell to generate electricity, while nitrogen, a harmless component of air, is released.

Between the lines: The technology is aimed at applications where battery-electric solutions can struggle, particularly for heavier vehicles, long operating hours or cold-weather conditions.

Yes, but: The resulting hydrogen can also be used in a variety of other ways, including as a replacement for propane to fuel an outdoor cooking grill, as the company demonstrated to Axios Detroit.

What they're saying: Through the Toyota Foundation's Sustainable Cities Challenge, Detroit offered Neology ample warehouse space and an interest in hydrogen power that was elusive elsewhere, founder and CEO Aris Maroonian tells Axios Detroit.

• "We are hardware, deep tech, and we have to build stuff," he says. "There's no heavy industry in Switzerland, there's chocolates and watches."

What's next: City officials say Neology's work helps expand the challenge beyond short-haul logistics to consider future options for heavy freight and power generation.

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