The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has published a report titled ‘Study On The Use Of Ethyl And Methyl Alcohol As Alternative Fuels In Shipping’ that discusses the potential of ethanol and methanol as fuels for the maritime industry.
Both methanol and ethanol fuels can be used for reducing maritime related emissions and the carbon footprint of shipping operations. As they are both sulphur-free, ships using them would be in compliance with the European Commission Sulphur Directive without needing after-treatment technologies to reduce emissions.
Compared with conventional fuels, methanol and ethanol can be produced from renewable feedstocks and in case of a spill, both fuels dissolve readily in water, are biodegradable and do not bioaccumulate and are not rated as toxic to aquatic organisms.
Furthermore, as the report states, methanol is widely available as it is used extensively in the chemical industry and it is transported both with short sea shipping and by inland waterways, while ethanol is the most widely used biofuel in land based transportation and can be found at most large chemical storage hubs in Europe.
Prior to the drop in fuel prices, methanol was below the price of low-sulphur fuel. Natural gas used for producing methanol contributes to lower production costs according the report, although ethanol prices have shown to be higher than marine gas oil (MGO) traditionally, similar to other types of biofuels. The report also estimates that investment costs for both methanol and ethanol retrofit and newbuild solutions are around the same as installations of exhaust gas after treatment solutions, such as scrubbers for reducing sulphur oxides (SOx) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx). They are also thought to be below the costs of investment for liquefied natural gas (LNG) solutions.
As discussed in the EMSA report, a number of projects have been carried out using methanol and ethanol as fuels for marine applications. Laboratory trials and conversion of main engines and testing on-board have taken place. For instance the SPIRETH project tested methanol use on a converted full scale marine diesel engine with pilot fuel ignition and performance testing in a laboratory. Results showed reduced NOx and particulate matter with same or better efficiency reported.
The MethaShip project is also being carried out to assess the feasibility of building new methanol powered vessels. Designs for a cruise ship and a RO-PAX ferry will be developed during the three-year project which began in 2014, while the project will also study bunkering options for methanol and assess port authorities’ possibilities and opinions regarding methanol supply.
To access the published report, click here.
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