Maritime Use of Renewable Fuels

Marine renewable fuels are beginning to attract a great deal of attention just like sustainable aviation fuel has done. Why is that?  Much of the world’s oil supply contains about one-half percent of sulfur, which is known to cause respiratory and heart problems.  For many years, price conscious ocean going vessels have been using the least expensive, but clearly dirtiest form of all fuels – bunker fuel.  Unlike other industries like the aviation industry, the maritime and shipping industry has been historically somewhat non-responsive to the use of renewable fuels.  However, it appears that regulations that began in 2020, have started to change this.  The International Maritime Organization has clearly recognized the health and climate difficulties posed by the sulfur content in marine fuels, and beginning in 2020, new regulations were implemented that require that the sulfur content of the bunker fuel on ships be below 0.5%.  To put this in perspective, one should note that in 2015, the marine industry average was 2.45% – almost five times too high under the new standards!

As these new regulations are implemented, the question is how ships will comply.  In making this transition to cleaner fuel, it does appear that some are finally beginning to examine the prospects for blending renewable fuels.  For those that don’t consider this option, a dilemma is sure to arise as the only other apparent choice will be to blend this bunker fuels at a 1:3 ratio with the cleaner type fuels currently used in automotive diesel.  It appears that the time has come for the maritime industry to get serious about renewable alternatives.

Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms like Lee Enterprises Consulting will certainly have experts in marine renewable fuels.  They also offer a wide range of services in the general areas of biofuels, biochemicals, biotechnologies, biomaterials, synthetic biology commercialization, feedstocks, and hemp/cannabis, and will have many specialized business and financial services like due diligence, feedstock availability, grants and loans and bio market research.  A big consulting group like this should also offer technical and engineering related services like techno economic analysis, environmental evaluations, feasibility studies, risk analysis and expert witness engagements, and have solid strategic partnerships in place to assist clients with insurance, legal, accounting, plant fabrication, feedstock procurement.  

With over 150 experts worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has experts in many specific clean and renewable areas, including anaerobic digestion, fermentation, biomass, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrefied biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.   This is a multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants that is a virtual “one stop shop” for any client need and handles projects of all types and sizes.

Look at our experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  See video about LEC here.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.