Study: eFuels in the shipping industry
The 2021 study “GHG Saving Potential of E-fuels” by researchers at Norway’s SINTEF Ocean AS, an independent maritime research and technology institute, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) examines the potential of eFuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector.
The study uses a well-to-wake assessment covering all emissions from fuel production (well-to-tank) to fuel use (tank-to-wake). Through a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA), it compares conventional fossil fuels with various eFuels to assess their emission reduction potential, energy consumption and costs. The findings provide valuable insights into the role of eFuels in reducing greenhouse gases and the importance of renewable energy sources in this context.
eFuels in shipping: study findings on emissions, energy demand and economic viability
The study analyses various eFuels (e-hydrogen, e-ammonia, e-diesel, e-LNG and e-methanol) in terms of their greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and costs of use.
It reaches the following, in some cases surprising, findings:
Emissions and energy consumption: The study shows that the calculated greenhouse gas emissions of e-diesel and e-methanol depend largely on the source of the energy used and the underlying assumptions.
Costs and economic viability: The costs of using eFuels vary considerably depending on the price of the renewable electricity used to produce them. High electricity costs make the operating costs of ships running on eFuels uneconomic. By contrast, the economic viability of these fuels improves in a scenario with lower electricity prices. At an optimistic electricity price of USD 0.02/kWh, eFuels such as e-diesel, e-methanol and e-LNG could become competitive with conventional fossil fuels. This potential cost reduction makes eFuels an attractive option for the shipping industry, particularly if renewable energy prices continue to fall in future.
Technological flexibility: The study’s authors point out that the dual-fuel engines already used in shipping can minimise the risk of switching to new fuels and enable the gradual integration of eFuels such as e-LNG and e-methanol into shipping. Dual-fuel engines allow ships to run on both fossil and renewable fuels, increasing flexibility and facilitating the gradual adoption of renewable fuels. By contrast, e-diesel requires no special engines, as it is fully compatible with conventional diesel engines. This means that e-diesel can directly replace fossil diesel without modifying the engines.
The study also stresses the need for an extensive supply of renewable electricity. At the same time, it describes the limited availability of renewable energy as a challenge, as this energy is also needed in other sectors. The authors conclude that eFuels can play a significant role in shipping, provided sufficient renewable energy is available.
Source: Reduction of maritime GHG emissions and the potential role of E-fuels, 2021
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