E-diesel in the shipping sector: Prospects and challenge

E-diesel in the shipping sector: Prospects and challenge

decarbonization (Neuling and Berks 2023). In principle, liquid fossil fuels can be replaced by alternative options such as biofuels or electricity-based fuels (e-fuels). Biofuels, which are derived from microbial, plant, or animal materials, are characterized by significantly lower GHG emissions compared to fossil fuels and therefore contribute to reducing the climate impact of the transport sector (Neuling and Berks 2023). This advantage arises from the fact that biofuels originate from organic matter such as plants or algae, which sequester carbon dioxide during their growth phase.

Consequently, when biofuels are burned, the released CO2 is partially offset by the carbon previously absorbed during the feedstock's cultivation, resulting in reduced net carbon emissions relative to fossil fuels (Litvak and Litvak 2020). Particularly, advanced biofuels crafted from waste materials or algae hold promise for achieving carbon neutrality or even negativity (Litvak and Litvak 2020). However, these fuels, especially conventional biofuels from cultivated biomass, inherently require a lot of water and land, which potentially competes with food cultivation.

They can therefore at best be regarded as a temporary transitional solution but not for the long-term (Neuling and Berks 2023). E-fuels, produced by extracting hydrogen using electricity from renewable sources, offer a sustainable alternative which can significantly reduce GHG emissions whilst not jeopardizing other environmental requirements regarding biodiversity, air quality and material sourcing. Notably, a recent survey conducted by Accelleron, involving high-level executives from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain, revealed that about 93% of maritime companies envision e-fuels as pivotal in fostering more sustainable shipping (Acceleron 2023). A notable research project demonstrating progress in this field is the Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition, where CATAGEN led a consortium that won funding for a techno-economic feasibility study to explore the production and distribution of e-diesel, aiming to deliver significant decarbonization to the UK's maritime activities (McKeown 2024). Supported by the UK Department for Transport and Innovate UK, this project seeks to determine the commercial viability of using CATAGEN’s E-FUEL GEN technology to produce e-diesel. Moreover, it aims to establish a replicable model for adoption across various harbors and ports in the UK, with potential global applicability 

E Fuels