Drop-In Biofuels Could Make Up to 10% of the Marine Fuel Mix by 2030: GoodFuels

Astrid Sonneveld of GoodFuels says drop-in biofuels could account for as much as 10% of the global marine fuel mix by 2030.

Astrid Sonneveld, director of International Business Development Marine at Netherlands-based GoodFuels says drop-in biofuels could account for as much as 10 percent of the global marine fuel mix by 2030, Platts reports. 

Sonneveld cites tightening global regulation, regional incentives, industry-led initiatives, and public procurement policies that promote the use of biofuels for the expected increased use of such fuels, noting sustainable marine biofuels can enable ship operators to reduce vessel CO2 emissions by as much as 80 to 90 percent.

"With consensus within IMO [International Maritime Organization] that shipping has to do its own fair share of GHG emission reduction, we are looking forward to the implementation of carbon policies," Sonneveld told Platts.

"As these biofuels are functionally equivalent to and as oxygen-free as petroleum-derived diesel fuels, they can be used pure (as substitute) or dropped into fossil (any blend level)," added Sonneveld of drop-in biofuels.

Sustainable biofuels are noted to reduce carbon footprint, eliminate SOx emissions, reduce NOx emissions by 10 percent, and reduce particulate matter from ship exhaust by more than 30 percent, compared to marine diesel oil and marine gasoil.

Sonneveld says GoodFuels is currently working on the development of sustainable bio-heavy fuel oil (HFO), explaining: "after thorough engine lab testing, this bio-HFO will be demonstrated aboard of a seagoing vessel in 2017."

"Our focus is on waste and residue streams, and not primary vegetable oils [such as rapeseed oil or palm oil] because of deforestation and food competition issues associated with the latter category."

Further, the company partnering with refineries across Asia, Europe, and North America to support conversion technology for biofuel production, and is in contact with many ports in Emission Control Areas (ECAs), targeting major ports such as Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, and Singapore to promote use of biofuels.

In September, Ship & Bunker reported that Dutch dredging company Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis), with cooperation from GoodFuels and Wärtsilä, had successfully tested a new wood-based biofuel.