WinGD puts ethanol on the marine fuel map
In Switzerland, marine engine designer WinGD says ethanol is ready for wider use as a marine fuel, supported by more than a decade of engine development and established large scale fuel production. Shandong Shipping’s May order for the world’s first ethanol fueled two stroke engines, for Newcastlemax vessels chartered to Vale, is the first commercial deployment of the technology.
WinGD first tested ethanol in 2014. Its current alcohol fuel engine technology was commercialized first for methanol, but the company says the same engines can be prepared to burn ethanol with a simple modification because the two fuels have similar combustion and handling characteristics.
The IMO has assigned Brazilian second crop corn ethanol a lifecycle emissions factor of 20.8 gCO2e/MJ, more than four times lower than very low sulphur fuel oil. WinGD also points to existing large scale ethanol production in Brazil, the United States and other markets.
The engines can burn ethanol alone or together with methanol. WinGD says that flexibility could let operators rely on lower cost ethanol when green methanol is scarce or expensive, then increase the green methanol share as emissions requirements tighten.
Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
