Using LNG as Fuel Would Cut GHG Emissions by Up to 21%
WMN..Using LNG as marine fuel would reduce the shipping industry’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 21%, according to a study conducted by SEA\LNG and Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel Limited (SGMF).
The percentage of GHG reduction is compared with current oil-based marine fuels over the entire life cycle from Well-to-Wake (WtW). The parties said that the benefit is highly dependent on the engine technology installed and, to a certain extent, on the type of reference fuel (distillate or residual).
A large number of SEA\LNG and SGMF member companies submitted up-to-date, technical data providing the basis for a complete and accurate life cycle analysis of the GHG intensity expressed in terms of CO2-equivalents.
The study showed that LNG provides a significant advantage in terms of improving air quality which is particularly important in ports and coastal areas. Beyond the benefits associated with reducing air pollutants, the parties noted that LNG is a viable solution to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping and to contribute to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) GHG reduction targets.
However, the study added that methane emission from the supply chain and engine slip need to be reduced further to maximise the positive impact on both air quality and GHG emissions.
Other key findings of the study showed that, on an engine technology basis, the WtW GHG emission reduction for gas fuelled engines compared with HFO fuelled engines are between 14 % to 21 % for 2-stroke slow speed engines, and between 7 % to 15 % for 4-stroke medium speed engines.
The parties added that, as a direct comparison if the global marine transport fleet for 2015 were to completely switch to LNG then there would be a GHG emission reduction of 15 % marine GHG emissions based upon engine technology alone.
Furthermore, an indicative analysis showed that bioLNG and synthetic LNG can provide an additional significant (up to 90 %) benefit in terms of WtW GHG intensity. Bio and synthetic LNG are completely fungible with LNG derived from fossil feedstocks. For example, a blend of 20% bioLNG as a drop-in fuel can reduce GHG emissions by a further 13 % compared with 100% fossil fuel LNG.
The international shipping industry is under pressure to cut emissions on the back of the IMO’s ambition to reduce the GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared with 2008. More stringent air quality regulations, such as the IMO 2020 global sulphur cap, are also approaching. In the light of the IMO 2020 global sulphur cap, conventional oil-based residual marine fuels will need to either change in their specification or be replaced by alternative fuels like LNG, the parties concluded, reports World Maritime News.
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