South America Could Have Green Fuels Focus

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday September 22, 2020

Central and South American nations could lead the way in creating a zero-emissions shipping industry, according to regional case studies in a new report .

The studies feature in ZeroCarbon for Shipping which is produced by non-governmental organisation Ocean Conservancy.

They show how existing technologies such as electrofuels and renewable energy can work together to make a zero-carbon future possible for the shipping industry.

"Ports throughout South and Central America with renewable energy potential nearby are already great candidates to build electrofuel plants for their own uses and ultimately provide zero-carbon refueling along busy shipping lanes,"  the report's author, Nick Ash of Ricardo Energy & Environment, said.

As electrofuels do not contain as much energy per unit volume as fossil fuels more refuelling stops zero-carbon ships would be necessary .

According to Ocean Conservancy, the investment required to the make the move to a zero-carbon shipping sector is small compared to the global energy investment spend each year if spread over 30 years (to 2050).