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ALTERNATIVE FUELS: VIEWPOINT
The use of LNG as a bunker fuel it is leading the way forward for meeting 2050 targets and the adoption of new fuels, says Steve Esau of SEA-LNG
LNG LEADS THE WAY TO 205O TARGETS
Steve Esau Chief Operating Officer, SEA-LNG
According to Clarksons, more than 30% of the new build tonnage on the order books is liquefied natural gas-fuelled. So why are shipowners choosing LNG? In addition to its unparalleled local emissions benefits, LNG can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 23% on a well-to-wake basis compared with liquid fossil fuels. Blending in bioLNG or renewable synthetic LNG can further improve this figure. BioLNG and synthetic LNG are fully compatible with existing LNG engines and infrastructure and can be transported, bunkered, and stored using technologies currently in use today. BioLNG is a proven pathway to carbon neutrality as it reuses waste from farming activities, industries, and households to create green fuel. This process can capture methane that would otherwise be vented into the atmosphere, resulting in a fuel that is not just potentially net zero in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but one that also has the potential to be net negative in emissions.
When produced from waste streams, bioLNG can support the circular economy and help with yet another global concern: waste management. This gives it an added advantage over many other alternative fuels. With its many benefits, it is easy to see why production infrastructure for bioLNG is on the rise. The European Commission has invested some €118m into 32 decarbonisation projects, including one involving Bio-LNG Hub Wilp that aims to establish a bioLNG production plant in the Netherlands. In France, several key energy firms, including CMA CGM and TotalEnergies, have joined forces to embark on bioLNG production project, expanding the potential for increased availability of the fuel. With a strong pipeline of projects, the European Biogas Association predicts production of the fuel in Europe could increase tenfold by 2030. The mainstream introduction of bioLNG to shipping has already begun. In late 2020,
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Spring 2022
