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Biofuel Research Is One Step Closer to Cutting Marine Shipping’s Toxic Emissions

While a lot has been done to reduce harmful emissions from 4-wheeled and 2-wheeled vehicles, we can’t say the same thing about the maritime industry. It’s going slower, but researchers are diligently working on developing alternative fuels.
The Samskip Endeavour is a containership that recently switched to biofuels 1 photo
Photo: Samskip
Ever since 2005, the International Marine Organization (IMO) has been raising the bar on harmful emissions restrictions, which has already shown a positive impact not just on the environment, but also on the health of people who live along coasts. And, since sulfur oxide emissions are some of the ones to blame for harming the environment, the most recent IMO standard cut the sulfur content in ships’ fuel oil from 3,5% to 0,5%. But the organization didn’t stop there, also setting the goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping by half, compared to 2008 levels, over the next 30 years.

The problem is that it might look simple on paper, but it’s not that easy for companies in the maritime industry to implement changes. And it’s all related to costs. The low-sulfur burning heavy fuel oil (HFO) available on the market costs more than the standard HFO, which makes companies reluctant to make the switch.

The economical factor is one of the elements that researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have considered, in their recent study of biofuel alternatives. Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, the research was conducted by engineers at NREL, together with scientists from other institutions, including the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

The team analyzed and compared various types of fuels, in order to determine which ones are able to reduce to a greater extent greenhouse gases and air pollutants. It turns out that biofuels made 100% out of biomass (plants, algae and animal waste) cause 60 to 90% less emissions than HFO. And they are also sulphur-free.

According to the study, that good news is that the U.S. theoretically has enough supplies of bio-feedstock to produce marine biofuels on a large scale. But there’s still work to be done in order to confirm the compatibility of biofuels with ship engines and to develop cost-effective solutions.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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