A recent report issued by European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) states that Methanol and Ethanol are good potential alternatives for decreasing both the emissions and carbon footprint of ship operations. As both the fuels are sulfur-free, utilization of methanol and ethanol would guarantee compliance with the European Commission Sulphur Directive.
Positive Environmental Impacts
- They are clean-burning, contain no sulphur.
- Can be produced from renewable feedstocks.
- Emissions of both methanol and ethanol from combustion in diesel engines are low compared to conventional fuel oils with no after treatment.
- Investment costs for both methanol and ethanol retrofit and new build solutions are estimated to be in the same range as costs for installing exhaust gas after treatment (scrubber and selective catalytic reduction) for use with heavy fuel oil.
- Also, it is below the costs of investments for liquefied natural gas (LNG) solutions.
Are they harmful to Aquatic environment?
As indicated by the report, the conduct of methanol and ethanol fuels when spilled to the oceanic environment is additionally vital from an environmental performance point of view as mishaps concerning ships, for example, crashes, groundings and foundering may bring about fuel and cargo spills. Both methanol and ethanol break up promptly in water, are biodegradable, and don’t bioaccumulate. They are not evaluated as dangerous to amphibian living beings.
Disadvantage of using methanol and ethanol
The study points out another disadvantage of using methanol and ethanol. It states that both methanol and ethanol have an energy density that is approximately half that of conventional fuels. This requires larger storage volumes or more frequent bunkering, and could be a barrier for some ship applications.
Tests conducted on Stena Germanica, a cruise ferry operated by Stena Line, and a chemical tanker owned by Waterfront Shipping have demonstrated that safety considerations are not a barrier to the use of methanol fuel systems on ships, EMSA said.
An appropriate and attractive fuel choices
In conclusion, the EMSA said: “In summary, both methanol and ethanol are very attractive fuel choices from an environmental perspective because they are clean-burning, contain no sulphur, and can be produced from renewable feedstocks.”
“Regarding engine technology, both have been shown to work well in heavy duty diesel engines, but there is limited experience with marine applications. Methanol has been used in a full scale ferry installation in 2015 and is being installed in new build chemical tankers for delivery in 2016.”
“More projects and experience with different ship applications would be beneficial for demonstrating the potential of the fuels. Considering availability and supply, methanol and ethanol are both widely available globally but no specific infrastructure for marine fuel is in place.”
Source: European Maritime Safety Agency
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