A global effort to reduce sulfur and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships has researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and other Department of Energy facilities investigating the potential use of marine biofuels.
A global effort to reduce sulfur and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships has researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and other Department of Energy facilities investigating the potential use of marine biofuels.
“Biofuels turned out to be very good options because they have zero or very, very low sulfur compared to fossil fuels,” said Eric Tan, a senior research engineer at NREL and lead author of a new article published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
His co-authors of “Biofuel Options for Marine Applications: Techno-Economic and Life-Cycle Analyses” are Ling Tao, also from NREL, along with scientists with Argonne National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration.
The International Marine Organization (IMO) has been ratcheting down the allowed amount of sulfur oxides emissions from ships since 2005. The newest upper limit, which took effect at the start of 2020, reduced the sulfur content of ships’ fuel oil to 0.5% from 3.5%. IMO said the reduction should have major benefits for the environment and the health of people, particularly those living near ports and along coasts. Additionally, IMO has set aggressive targets to decarbonize marine shipping, targeting at least a 50% reduction in GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050, relative to 2008 levels.
Read more at: DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
