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author = {Kass, M and Abdullah, Z and Biddy, M and Drennan, C and Haq, Z and Hawkins, T and Jones, S and Holliday, J and Longman, D and Menter, S and Newes, E and Theiss, T and Thompson, T and Wang, M},
title = {Understanding the Opportunities of Biofuels for Marine Shipping},
institution = {Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)},
year = {2018},
month = {dec},
number = {ORNL/TM-2018/1080},
doi = {10.2172/1490575},
url = {https://www.maritime.dot.gov/innovation/meta/life-cycle-assessment-greenhouse-gas-and-criteria-air-pollutant-emissions},
keywords = {Forest Biomass, Wastes and Byproducts, Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), Bio-crude, Marine Gas Oil (MGO), Marine Diesel Oil (MDO), Methane (Natural Gas), Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO), Biodiesel (FAME), Bio-oil, Catalysis, Chemical Upgrading, Fuel Properties and Characteristics, Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA), Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and Air Emissions, Ocean-going Vessels},
}
RIS
TI - Understanding the Opportunities of Biofuels for Marine Shipping
AU - Kass, M
AU - Abdullah, Z
AU - Biddy, M
AU - Drennan, C
AU - Haq, Z
AU - Hawkins, T
AU - Jones, S
AU - Holliday, J
AU - Longman, D
AU - Menter, S
AU - Newes, E
AU - Theiss, T
AU - Thompson, T
AU - Wang, M
AB - This report examines the potential benefits, feasibility, and barriers to the use of biofuels in place of heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas oil for marine vessels. More than 90% of world’s shipped goods travel by marine cargo vessels powered by internal combustion (diesel) engines using primarily low-cost residual HFO, which is high in sulfur content. Recognizing that marine shipping is the largest source of anthropogenic sulfur emissions and is a significant source of other pollutants including particulates, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide (CO2), the International Maritime Organization enacted regulations to lower the fuel sulfur content from 3.5 wt.% to 0.5 wt.% in 2020. These regulations require ship operators either to use higher-cost, low-sulfur HFO or to seek other alternatives for reducing sulfur emissions (i.e., scrubbers, natural gas, distillates, and/or biofuels). The near-term options for shipowners to comply with regulations include fueling with low-sulfur HFO or distillate fuels or installing emissions control systems. However, few refineries are equipped to produce low-sulfur HFO. Likewise, the current production rates of distillates do not allow the necessary expansion required to fuel the world fleet of shipping vessels (which consume around 330 million metric tons). This quantity is more than twice that used in the United States for cars and trucks. The other near-term option is to install emission control systems, which also requires a significant investment. All of these options significantly increase operational costs. Because of such costs, biofuels have become an attractive alternative since they are inherently low in sulfur and potentially also offer greenhouse gas benefits. Based on this preliminary assessment, replacing HFO in large marine vessels with minimally processed, heavy biofuels appears to have potential as a path to reduced emissions of sulfur, CO2, and criteria emissions. Realizing this opportunity will require deeper knowledge of (1) the combustion characteristics of biofuels in marine applications, (2) their compatibility for blending with conventional marine fuels (including HFO), (3) needs and costs for scaling up production and use, and (4) a systems assessment of their life cycle environmental impacts and costs. It is recommended that a research program investigating each of these aspects be undertaken to better assess the efficacy of biofuels for marine use.
DA - 2018/12//
PY - 2018
SP - 26
PB - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
SN - ORNL/TM-2018/1080
UR - https://www.maritime.dot.gov/innovation/meta/life-cycle-assessment-greenhouse-gas-and-criteria-air-pollutant-emissions
DO - 10.2172/1490575
LA - English
KW - Forest Biomass
KW - Wastes and Byproducts
KW - Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)
KW - Bio-crude
KW - Marine Gas Oil (MGO)
KW - Marine Diesel Oil (MDO)
KW - Methane (Natural Gas)
KW - Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO)
KW - Biodiesel (FAME)
KW - Bio-oil
KW - Catalysis
KW - Chemical Upgrading
KW - Fuel Properties and Characteristics
KW - Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA)
KW - Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and Air Emissions
KW - Ocean-going Vessels
ER -
Abstract
This report examines the potential benefits, feasibility, and barriers to the use of biofuels in place of heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas oil for marine vessels. More than 90% of world’s shipped goods travel by marine cargo vessels powered by internal combustion (diesel) engines using primarily low-cost residual HFO, which is high in sulfur content. Recognizing that marine shipping is the largest source of anthropogenic sulfur emissions and is a significant source of other pollutants including particulates, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide (CO2), the International Maritime Organization enacted regulations to lower the fuel sulfur content from 3.5 wt.% to 0.5 wt.% in 2020. These regulations require ship operators either to use higher-cost, low-sulfur HFO or to seek other alternatives for reducing sulfur emissions (i.e., scrubbers, natural gas, distillates, and/or biofuels). The near-term options for shipowners to comply with regulations include fueling with low-sulfur HFO or distillate fuels or installing emissions control systems. However, few refineries are equipped to produce low-sulfur HFO. Likewise, the current production rates of distillates do not allow the necessary expansion required to fuel the world fleet of shipping vessels (which consume around 330 million metric tons). This quantity is more than twice that used in the United States for cars and trucks. The other near-term option is to install emission control systems, which also requires a significant investment. All of these options significantly increase operational costs. Because of such costs, biofuels have become an attractive alternative since they are inherently low in sulfur and potentially also offer greenhouse gas benefits. Based on this preliminary assessment, replacing HFO in large marine vessels with minimally processed, heavy biofuels appears to have potential as a path to reduced emissions of sulfur, CO2, and criteria emissions. Realizing this opportunity will require deeper knowledge of (1) the combustion characteristics of biofuels in marine applications, (2) their compatibility for blending with conventional marine fuels (including HFO), (3) needs and costs for scaling up production and use, and (4) a systems assessment of their life cycle environmental impacts and costs. It is recommended that a research program investigating each of these aspects be undertaken to better assess the efficacy of biofuels for marine use.