Oldendorff and MIT Find Fuel Degradation in Study of Advanced Biofuel

Oldendorff and MIT studied biofuel stability and degradation using the bulker Edwine Oldendorff (Oldendorff Carriers)

PUBLISHED NOV 7, 2023 6:20 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

With an increasing exploration of biofuel across many sectors of the shipping industry and the emergence of new second-generation advanced biofuels, Oldendorff Carriers, one of the world’s leading dry bulk owners and operators, commissioned a study looking at the stability and potential for degradation of biofuel. Working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) they launched a study of the long-term stability of advanced biofuel (B20 blend) as a follow-on to a previous study of using biofuels to reduce emissions. They are now reporting that exposure to air, water, and light contributed significantly to fuel degradation in the advanced blends.

Results of the study were presented yesterday, November 6, at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting. Oldendorff highlights in its summary of the results concerns identified regarding microbial contamination and oxidative degradation. The study looked at the fuels over a one-year timeframe and highlights steps to be taken as the use of the fuel expands to address the degradation as well as positive issues such as no sediment formation or water increase over time.

 Oldendorff highlights that a biofuel blend is more complex than a homogenous product. Specifically, they point out as the industry moves to second-generation products that the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, which are inherent in the vegetable oils and animal fats from which the new biofuel is derived, is more prone to oxidative degradation. The concern is the potential for degradation of biofuel blends with conventional marine fuels over time when stored in vessels’ bunker tanks.

“There is a limited body of research on the degradation of biofuel blends, with existing studies primarily focusing on first-generation biofuels (derived from food crops) and/or distillate biofuel blends rather than advanced residual biofuel blends,” comments Oldendorff. The study with MIT sought to address this lack of information by monitoring eight chemical parameters over an extended period of time, under a variety of storage conditions and temperatures.

The Edwine Oldendorff was used for the study, a 38,600 dwt bulker built in 2016. The vessel was fueled in January 2022 with an advanced B20 biofuel, consisting of 20 percent bio-oil derived from used cooking oil and blended with very low sulfur fuel. Three storage groups were set up for the study using different containers and temperatures. The selected storage conditions closely replicate typical onboard fuel storage conditions and investigate the impact of storage temperature, air, light, and water on the fuel quality over time.

The findings show that fuel degradation was observed with levels of microbial contamination increasing over time. Emerging after the first month, the highest levels of contamination increased over time in samples exposed to light. Warning that microbial contamination could lead to operational problems, including fouling of tanks, pipes, and filters, tank corrosion, and fuel injection equipment damage, the report highly recommends a biocide addition to preserve blended biofuel for an extended period.

Similarly, oxidative degradation was observed starting between three and six months, with the report concluding that the addition of antioxidants is recommended. They are also calling for regular monitoring of fuel quality for long-term onboard storage, especially with higher biofuel blends. However, the study did not find sediment was generated after thermal aging, but says that the impact of storage temperature on degradation remains unclear. 

“The results of our study will be valuable for both biofuel producers and users, assisting them in planning their bunker storage and maintenance systems accordingly over time,” concludes the team from MIT and Oldendorff.

Japan Conducts Test of Biofuel Using Non-Chemical Treated Vegetable Oil

Tetsuun Maru No.1 representative of small coastal vessels operated for a month on the new form of biofuel (MOL)

PUBLISHED NOV 3, 2023 7:09 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Japan has conducted its first tests of a form of biofuel that further reduces emissions and will be less costly to supply to the maritime industry. The project is part of a government-sponsored effort testing different fuels to reduce emissions from the domestic shipping industry and mirrors similar test projects taking part in other parts of the world also looking at the viability of different forms of biofuel.

Until now, the main raw material for biofuels has been Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME), which is produced by chemical processing of waste cooking oil and methanol. In this project, used cooking oil was mixed with heavy oil with a ratio of one-quarter of biomaterial. The bio component is in almost its original form, straight vegetable oil (SVO), as the component of the mix. Since the vegetable oil undergoes no methyl esterification or hydrogenation process, it is likely to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions more than other biofuels and can be supplied at a lower cost.

The fuel was supplied by Japan’s Hanwha Co. as part of the research project sponsored by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It marked Japan's first initiative to use this kind of biofuel to power marine vessels.

The fuel was loaded on a small, general-purpose coastal vessel, the 499 gross ton Tetsuun Maru No.1, owned by Tetsuun Kisen KK. The vessel is operated by MOL Coastal Shipping, part of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. The research program on the marine applications of biofuels was also conducted with the cooperation of Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Co., the cargo shipper. 

The vessel operated on the biofuel mixture for about a month, plying a route between Mikawa Bay and Tokyo Bay. They are reporting that it was successfully operated using biofuel made by mixing waste cooking oil directly with heavy fuel oil. They reported no flammability problems or other issues.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism highlights the significance of the test noting that vessels of 499 GT or less account for 62 percent of all the vessels of 100 or more gross tons in coastal operations in Japan.

This initiative on coastal vessels also followed a sea trial for the use of liquefied biomethane fuel conducted in June. In that test, a domestic LNG-fueled vessel, Ise Mirai (7,800 dwt) was tested using liquefied bio-methane (LBM). The fuel was derived from cattle manure resulting in a carbon-neutral LBM derived from biomass. The fuel was produced by the dairy industry which has biogas plants and experience using the carbon-neutral methane-based fuel.

Japan is continuing its research to identify viable carbon-neutral fuel sources for the maritime industry.

 

MSC and DB Schenker Launch Model Biofuel Program to Reduce Emissions

MSC will use 50,000 tons of blended biofuel passing the emissions reduction to DB Schenker and its customers (file photo)

PUBLISHED FEB 15, 2023 8:10 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and a freight forwarder have struck an innovative deal that calls for one of the largest uses of biofuel addressing the growing concerns of shippers to reduce their total carbon footprint. Pressure has been growing on large shippers to address carbon emissions across their supply chains including elements such as shipping which so far has been largely beyond their control. Under the agreement, MSC is creating a carbon reduction program broadly available to the shipping customers of DB Schenker that results in an immediate reduction in emissions. It also provides a model for others to follow.

Individual shipping lines have been testing biofuels for years and some have even offered the first offset programs for individual customers. Through the agreement with DB Schenker, MSC is providing a much wider solution for shippers that addresses concerns and avoids issues such as disputes between shipowners and charters over the use of biofuel. The program also seeks to address concerns over the origins of the biofuel.

“We are doing this because we firmly believe it is the right thing to do and are therefore paying for biofuel purchases in advance,” said Thorsten Meincke, Global Board Member for Air & Ocean Freight at DB Schenker. "One thing is certain, the more customers demand climate neutrality throughout supply chains, the faster we achieve clean container ocean freight."

DB Schenker has committed to the purchase of 12,000 metric tons of a second-generation biofuel to be used by MSC’s containerships. The biofuel will be blended between 20 and 30 percent, resulting in approximately 50,000 metric tons of blended biofuel to be used across MSC’s fleet. The carrier estimates that it equates to the shipment of around 30,000 TEUs with net-zero CO2 emissions, depending on how the fuel is used during navigation.

The amount of biofuel purchased is enough to save 35,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) along the entire production chain (well-to-wake) in the market. That will be passed along to DB Schenker and its customers for all of its consolidated cargo, less-than-container load (LCL), full-container-load (FCL), and refrigerated containers, carried by MSC. The difference between this program and other carbon offsets is that those programs focus on future emission reductions outside the shipping industry whereas the purchase and blending of the biofuel will result in immediate and direct reductions in emissions from shipping.

“Decarbonizing ocean freight cannot be achieved by a single player and requires collaboration between shipping and logistics companies and their customers,” said Caroline Becquart, Senior Vice President of MSC. “MSC Biofuel Solution is our first certified carbon insetting program that reduces emissions in our customers’ supply chains, accelerating the energy transition by creating demand for net-zero-carbon shipping and delivering direct CO2 savings.”

MSC has been actively testing and using biofuel as a drop-in blended into fuels for several years and points out that the biofuel is not only well-regarded as a decarbonization transition fuel but can be used for regular ocean freight operations without adjusting a ship’s infrastructure or supply chain.

Environmentalists have been critical of some of the early biofuel efforts pointing out that the waste cooking oil used in the production can be high in palm oil which is associated with deforestation. MSC highlights that for this program it will be using a second-generation biofuel, also known as advanced biofuel. It ensures at least 80 percent reduction in CO2e emissions (well-to-wake). The oil is also guaranteed to be palm oil free, including no palm oil waste and no indirect land use change.  The oil is devised from used cooking oil and becoming increasingly popular in the shipping industry as a near-term opportunity to improve emissions.

GREENWASHING

Biofuel on the road to energy, cost savings

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DOE/ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY

Argonne collaborates with U.S. laboratories on research to identify promising biofuels for different engine types.

Biofuel is closer to becoming a cost-competitive, climate-friendly solution for slashing carbon emissions in cars and trucks, according to two new studies.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory  collaborated with the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on the research. Results showed that biofuel combined with advanced engine design can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by roughly 60% while improving fuel efficiency or reducing tailpipe emissions.

Argonne energy system analyst Pahola Thathiana Benavides,  NREL process engineer Andrew W. Bartling and PNNL engineer Steven Phillips were lead analysts for the two studies published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

“The idea is to develop new biofuels blended with conventional fuels to improve engine performance. This means a gasoline car or truck could go further on the same amount of fuel or a diesel vehicle could meet more stringent emissions standards.” — Troy Hawkins, Argonne’s group manager, Fuels and Products Group

Biofuel has significant advantages over petroleum gasoline. But the engines themselves are also critical to energy efficiency. Designing low-carbon fuels and engines to work together can maximize energy use and vehicle performance.

“We are at the intersection of new innovations in both engines and biofuel,” said Troy Hawkins, Argonne’s group manager, fuels and products group, an author on both ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering studies. ​“Our goal was to develop new biofuels blended with conventional fuels to improve engine performance. This means a gasoline-powered car or truck could go further on the same amount of fuel. Or a diesel vehicle could meet more stringent emissions standards.”

In both studies, Argonne scientists worked with other national labs to identify promising fuels for different engine types. Researchers considered cost, environmental impact and potential for expanding to commercial markets.

The research is supported by the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative jointly led by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Technologies Office and Vehicle Technologies Office.

Argonne is part of Co-Optima’s consortium of nine national laboratories and over 20 university and industrial partners. The consortium studies how simultaneous innovations in fuel and engines can boost fuel economy and vehicle performance while reducing emissions.

Scientists and experts at every DOE laboratory played an important role in each phase of the research, Hawkins said.

“This research is a really good example of how laboratories can work together to help the DOE accomplish its mission,” Hawkins said.

Finding biofuel pathways

Co-Optima’s research builds on the goal to identify and understand bioblendstocks, or biofuel. Biofuel is produced from biomass — organic materials including plants, agricultural waste and wet waste. Biofuel can be blended with conventional fuel to reduce emissions and improve fuel and engine performance.

Collaborating with Co-Optima fuel experts, researchers used a screening process to develop a list of biofuels for their research, Benavides said.

Argonne scientists developed the list of biofuels working with experts including PNNL technical team manager and Co-Optima Leadership Team member Daniel Gaspar, NREL senior scientist Gina Fioroni, NREL senior research fellow Robert McCormick, and Anthe George, senior manager at DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).

“We worked with other experts to use specific criteria to narrow many biofuel candidates down to a short list for our research. This list was developed based on the required properties and the engine’s combustion mode,” Benavides said.

Converting biomass to biofuel is a complex process involving variables in feedstock, conversion technologies and fuel types. It is especially challenging finding biofuel pathways that also meet economic, technology and energy goals.

One study was co-first-authored by Benavides. The team assessed 12 biofuel production pathways for optimizing multimode internal combustion engines. Multimode engines can deliver greater efficiency and cost savings by using different methods of ignition, combustion and/or fuel-preparation, depending on driving demands.

Researchers used renewable biomass feedstock found in forestry byproducts such as wood waste and agricultural byproducts such as corn stover. They used conversion technologies including either fermentation, catalysis under high heat and pressure, or a combination of both.

“We found that not only can seven biofuels be produced cost-competitively, but that these seven are varied in terms of feedstock used and conversion technology,” Bartling said. ​“This means that biorefineries can be more flexible in choosing where and how to build their facilities.”

NREL and PNNL researchers did a techno-economic assessment of the biofuel production pathways, analyzing cost and technology performance.

“Our findings showed that many of the biofuels are competitive with the current cost of petroleum fuel,” Phillips said.

Researchers also analyzed environmental impact. A life cycle analysis of the pathways using Argonne’s GREET® (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy used in Technologies) model showed impressive results. Ten biofuels have the potential to reduce GHG emissions by 60% compared to petroleum gasoline. The list includes alcohols, furan mixtures and olefins.

Biofuel promising for diesel engines

The second study was co-first-authored by Bartling. Researchers analyzed 25 pathways for producing biofuel optimized to improve combustion for mixing-controlled compression ignition engines. These are a type of diesel engine mainly used for freight transportation.

To develop biofuel production pathways, researchers used feedstocks ranging from plant materials such as wood chips or corn stover, to oils from soybean and cuphea, to wet wastes and recycled grease. They used conversion technologies including fermentation, gasification, and hydrothermal liquefaction.

“The diverse set of biomass resources available in the U.S. has great potential to replace a portion of fuels and chemicals that now come from petroleum,” said Damon Hartley, INL’s Operations Research and Analysis Group lead. ​“However, one of the largest barriers is the wide variability in quality in the raw materials. This can have a large impact on how the material performs in conversion.”

As with the first study, most of the technologies performed well. Most of the biofuels were cost-competitive with current gas prices.

In terms of environmental impact, GHG emissions were reduced more than 60% in 12 of the 25 pathways, according to the GREET life cycle analysis.

“We evaluated the life cycle GHG emissions for each mixing-controlled compression ignition engine pathway. This included not only the tailpipe emissions but also upstream emissions resulting from biomass cultivation, feedstock transportation, biofuel production and biofuel distribution,” Hawkins said.

Creating a biofuel playbook

Researchers did not intend to produce a definitive list of biofuels, Benavides said. Instead, the studies offer a guide for stakeholders on selecting biofuel pathways that best meet their needs.

“We provide researchers and industry guidance on assessing biofuels based on a number of complex variables,” Benavides said. ​“The life cycle and techno-economic analysis is important in guiding stakeholders as early as possible. We can’t tell stakeholders what choices to make. But these tools can point them in the right direction from the beginning.”

While many of these biofuel pathways could potentially be cost-competitive, it is too soon to lock in prices in a constantly fluctuating gas market. ​“The challenge is providing cost-competitive prices in the long term,” Hawkins said.

While these biofuel production pathways target cars and diesel trucks, Argonne researchers are also studying the potential for using these pathways in hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and maritime industries. The goal is to bring biofuel to market across a range of industries as quickly as possible.

“DOE is constantly working on sustainable solutions for decarbonizing the transportation sector. Biofuel is a big piece of that,” Hawkins said. ​“We will continue to expand on Co-Optima’s important work.”

Along with Argonne, ORNL, NREL, PNNL, INL, and SNL, other U.S DOE national labs in the Co-Optima Initiative are Los Alamos, Lawrence Berkeley, and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories.

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering research authors:

“Identification of key drivers of cost and environmental impact for biomass-derived fuel for advanced multimode engines based on techno-economic and life cycle analysis”: Pahola Thathiana Benavides, Argonne, Andrew W. Bartling, NREL, Steven D. Phillips, PNNL, Troy R. Hawkins, Argonne, Avantika Singh, NREL, George G. Zaimes, Argonne, Matthew Wiatrowski, NREL, Kylee Harris, NREL, Pralhad H. Burli, INL, Damon Hartley, INL, Teresa Alleman, NREL, Gina Fioroni, NREL, Daniel Gaspar, PNNL.

“Environmental, economic, and scalability considerations of selected bio-derived blendstocks for mixing-controlled compression ignition engines”: Andrew W. Bartling, NREL, Pahola Thathiana Benavides, Argonne, Steven D. Phillips, PNL, Troy Hawkins, Argonne, Avantika Singh, NREL, Matthew Wiatrowski, NREL, Eric C. D. Tan, NREL, Christopher Kinchin, NREL, Longwen Ou, Argonne, Hao Cai, Argonne, Mary Biddy, NREL, Ling Tao, NREL, Andrew Young, NREL, Kathleen Brown, NREL, Shuyun Li, PNNL, Yunhua Zhu, PNNL, Lesley J. Snowden-Swan, PNNL, Chirag R. Mevawala, PNNL, Daniel J. Gaspar, PNNL.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation’s first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America’s scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://​ener​gy​.gov/​s​c​ience.

---

JOURNAL

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

DOI

10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c00944 

ARTICLE TITLE

Identification of Key Drivers of Cost and Environmental Impact for Biomass-Derived Fuel for Advanced Multimode Engines Based on Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Analysis

SEE

 LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for BIOFUEL 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for BIOFUELS 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for CORN 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for ETHANOL 

BIOMASS
Algae Biofuel Back From Dead, Now With Carbon Capture

Algae biofuel could have another moment in the sun, now that more federal dollars are pouring into carbon capture-and-recycling technology.


Algae biofuel could have another moment in the sun, now that more federal dollars are pouring into carbon capture-and-recycling technology (photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL).

ByTina Casey
Published 2 days ago

Algae biofuel stakeholders have been stuck in the doldrums for years, but in an odd twist of fate, the fossil fuel industry could help algae make a comeback. Apparently the new plan is to pair algae farming with waste carbon from gas power plants and other industrial operations. In addition to biofuel, algae farming can also produce animal feed, fish food, nutritional supplements and toiletries for people, and bioplastic products.

Why Algae Biofuel?

CleanTechnica spilled plenty of ink on the area of algae biofuel research some years ago, during the Obama administration. Unlike other energy crops, algae can be grown in ponds or human-made structures without taking arable land out of circulation, and it has a rapid growth-to-harvest cycle. The high oil content of certain strains of algae is another leading attraction, and the algae R&D pathway can lead in a carbon negative direction.

On the down side, figuring out an economical way to cultivate algae and extract the oil at an industrial scale is a challenging endeavor, especially when the over-arching goal is to reduce carbon emissions rather than adding them.

The picture was looking bright in the early 2000s, up through the Obama administration. However, by the time former President Obama left office in 2016, oil prices were crashing. The relatively low cost of petroleum seemed to put the idea of a bioeconomy fueled by algae biofuel to bed.

Nevertheless, the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory was among those continuing to invest in algae research projects, and the algae field continued to branch off into new angles. In 2018, for example, the Energy Department was funding the algae bioplastics angle. In 2020 researchers were exploring the idea of hooking up with high speed 3-D printing. The Mars mission has also sparked a new burst of interest in the algae biofuel field.

Carbon Capture To The Rescue

In January of this year the Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) launched the new AlgaePrize competition for students, aimed at developing “the next generation of bioeconomy professionals by expanding novel solutions to production, processing, and new product development on the way to gigaton-scale algae commercialization for fuel, food, products, and carbon dioxide utilization/sequestration.”

If you caught that thing about carbon dioxide, that’s where the happy dance for natural gas stakeholders comes in. Carbon capture from flue gas could turn out to be a value-added element that improves the bottom line for algae farming.

That’s where BETO seems to be heading. Last week the office announced a $16.5 million round of funding for six algae projects related to carbon dioxide capture.

The six projects were selected for their potential to demonstrate an improvement in carbon capture by algal systems leading to biofuels and other products, while also cutting costs and decreasing overall greenhouse gas emissions.

“Algae can grow on waste CO2, functioning as a carbon sink. This algae biomass can then be used to create low or no-emissions biofuels and bioproducts which displace GHGs,” BETO noted.

Natural Gas Hearts Algae Biofuel

Not all six of the new BETO-funded projects are focusing on carbon captured from flue gas. The Colorado School of Mines, for example, plans to put its pond-grown algae system through its paces using concentrated carbon dioxide from direct air capture.

Another awardee, Colorado State University, is working on an algal system that functions efficiently on atmospheric carbon.

Three of the other awardees are focusing on carbon dioxide from industrial fossil energy users including power plants: Dioxide Materials, MicroBio Engineering, and the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Sciences. A fourth awardee in the point source class is Global Algae Innovations, which is focusing more specifically on flue gas from a naphtha-fired power plant.

If the biofuel angle doesn’t work out at commercial scale, other aspects of the algae biofuel market could come into play.

Market analysts are forecasting growth in the algae market in the coming years. Consumers are on the prowl for healthy diet supplements, especially among the up-and-coming generation.

“Rise in the acceptance of algae-based food products and a growing popularity of vegan food are expected to emerge as trends in the algae market. Algae are already widely employed in bioplastics, cosmetics, food, bio-packaging, biofuel, and pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products,” observes the firm Transparency Market Research.

The Long Algae Biofuel Game Of ExxonMobil

All this activity puts the on-again, off-again algae biofuel journey of ExxonMobil into perspective.

ExxonMobil spearheaded the charge into shale gas after the Bush Administration lifted Clean Water Act regulations in 2006, and the company continued to double down on gas acquisitions even as prices plummeted.

The pell-mell rush into shale gas looked like a bad bet for any number of reasons, especially when gas prices cratered after 2005. Among other problems for the company, the issue of stranded fossil energy assets also began to rise in 2014 as shareholder activists demanded transparency. The Covid-19 pandemic didn’t help matters much. As of last year, the company was in so much financial trouble that it fell off the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

On top of all that, ExxonMobil’s notorious role in the repression of climate science is coming home to roost, now that climate-related catastrophes are impacting populations around the world and here in the US, too.

Nevertheless, gas is soaring again and ExxonMobil has a chance to wriggle back up on top, partly due to its interest in algae biofuel.

ExxonMobil has been investing in algae biofuel research since at least 2009, though its activity in the commercial aspect of algae farming has not been a straight line since then. In 2013, for example, the company seemed to lose interest in making quick entry into the algae biofuel market. Instead, it pivoted into foundational research under a 4-year contract with the firm Synthetic Genomics, Inc.

By 2018, the company was also collaborating with the Colorado School of Mines and Michigan State University on algae biofuel research, but a clear pathway to commercial-scale algae biofuel had yet to emerge.

The carbon capture angle could be a game changer. The outlook for algae biofuel looked gloomy indeed several years ago, but now that more federal dollars are pumping into point-source carbon capture the prospects have brightened.

ExxonMobil’s own investments in carbon capture could also come into play. By 2016, the company was already dipping into the idea that a carbon recycling solution at power plants could make a better case for carbon capture than the capture-and-sequestration model.

Next Steps For Algae

ExxonMobil, for one, is excited. The company lists the following benefits compared to corn ethanol and other biofuels made from land-based energy crops:Unlike making ethanol and biodiesel, producing algae does not compete with sources of food, rendering the food-vs.-fuel quandary a moot point.

Because algae can be produced in brackish water, including seawater, its production will not strain freshwater resources the way ethanol does.

Algae consume CO2, and on a life-cycle basis have a much lower emissions profile than corn ethanol given the energy used to make fertilizer, distill the ethanol, and to farm and transport the latter.

Algae can yield more biofuel per acre than plant-based biofuels – currently about 1,500 gallons of fuel per acre, per year. That’s almost five times more fuel per acre than from sugar cane or corn.

That’s all well and good, but it’s about time for ExxonMobil and other fossil energy stakeholders to stop digging more carbon up from the ground and start taking giant steps towards a more sustainable energy profile.

Capturing carbon dioxide at power plants is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t change anything in terms of the local environmental impacts of fossil energy extraction, and it doesn’t make a dent in the amount of fugitive emissions escaping from drilling sites, transportation networks and storage facilities.

To the extent that algae farming at gas power plants enables more gas extraction, it’s just another form of greenhouse gas whack-a-mole.

Either way, it looks like algae farming at power plants has a window of opportunity. Last November ExxonMobil re-upped its collaboration with Synthetic Genomics, under the new name of Viridos. If you have any thoughts about that, drop us a note in the comment thread.

Follow me on Twitter @TinaMCasey.

Photo: Algae bioreactor for biofuel and other products (credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL).

 

NYK Plans Full-Scale Biofuel Trial Over Longer Period Validating Stability

Frontier Jacaranda loaded biofuel in 2021 as part of progressive testing of the alternative fuel (NYK)

PUBLISHED DEC 27, 2023 8:52 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

NYK will conduct full-scale trials of long-term use of biofuels starting in 2024 as the company looks to advance on its goals for reducing carbon emissions. The latest program comes as a progressive series of tests expanding the use of biofuel in partnership with its shipping customers.

“Moving forward from the previous short-term trials, NYK will comprehensively verify the safety and stable procurement of biofuels when used over a long period. Through this trial, NYK will establish a safe navigation system using biofuels and promote biofuel development,” according to the company’s announcement.

In this trial, NYK will use biofuel continuously for three months on multiple vessel types. After that, NYK will gradually extend biofuel use for a longer period for further validation. This test will explore the impact of extending the length of use of the fuel and issues such as storage of the fuel.

NYK highlights that while it has confirmed the safety of short-term biofuel use, it has not verified the impact of biofuels on the ship’s main engine, generator, motor, fuel supply system, etc. One of the key points they will be exploring is the quality of biofuels after a certain storage period.

Since fiscal 2019, the NYK Group has conducted short-term biofuel trials on about 10 vessels. NYK also needed to ensure the stability of biofuel procurement when used in more vessels.

The testing of biofuel has advanced since the first trial in 2019 when they tried biofuel on a dry bulk carrier Frontier Sky while the vessel was docked in Rotterdam. Working with shippers Anglo American and biofuel supplier Toyota Tsusho, they ran a longer test loading the fuel in Singapore aboard the bulk carrier Frontier Jacaranda for a voyage to South Africa in June 2021. A third bulk carrier, Frontier Sky, conducted a trial voyage from Singapore to India in November 2021.

Last year, NYK expanded the trials including operating a round trip between Singapore and South Africa aboard a Capesize bulker named Friendship. That test confirmed that biofuel can result in up to a 10 percent CO2 emissions reduction compared to conventional marine fuel.

NYK working with Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha which operates tugboats launched the first test of 100 percent concentration biodiesel on a ship. Starting in July 2022 they tested navigation on the higher concentration of biodiesel.

The upcoming test looks to extend the previous experience by increasing the period during which biofuel is used on the ship as well as involving an increasing number and type of vessels. It is a key part of the company’s goal to cut emissions by 45 percent from 2021 level by 2030.

Japan’s First Mega-Yacht Cruise Ship Ordered and Will be Built in Portugal

Portugal's West Sea which is building exploration cruise ship received the order for Japan's firsth mega-yacht cruise ship (West Sea - Viana Shipyard)

PUBLISHED DEC 27, 2023 4:26 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The expansion of Japan’s cruise ship market is continuing with the news that a new mega-yacht cruise ship has been ordered. Traditionally marketing domestically to Japanese travelers, the cruise sector is seeing new growth in Japan as both NYK and Mitsui O.S.K. launched new investments while niche operators such as Peace Boat added a newer cruise ship.

The luxury mega-yacht was ordered last week by Japan’s Ryobi Holdings, a diversified company that includes operations in transportation and tourism. The transport group currently operates ferries and excursion boats as well as buses and a tour company.

“We plan to offer a different kind of cruise life experience, such as enjoying a visit to a remote island on a small boat,” writes Ryobi announcing its first cruise ship order. They explained that their plan will be Japan’s first yacht-style passenger ship. It will have features common in this sector including a marina in the stern for water activities, which will be the first on a newbuild in the Japanese market. MOL will also be introducing this feature when it takes over a cruise ship in 2024 acquired from Carnival Corporation’s Seabourn Cruises.

Ryobi has contracted West Sea – Viana Shipyard, a Portuguese shipbuilder started just a decade ago. The company has built river cruise ships for several of the major brands and starting in 2018 entered the ocean-going segment building luxury exploration cruise ships. West Sea is building a total of seven 9,900 gross ton cruise ships for a Portuguese company Mystic Cruises. Starting with the World Explorer in 2019, the ships are 413 feet (126 meters) with luxury accommodations for 200 passengers, The first of the ships are operating under charter while Mystic also launched Atlas Ocean Voyages to market its exploration cruises.

Ryobi reports that the ship will be approximately 360 to 390 feet (110 to 120 meters) in length and 9,000 to 10,000 gross tons, making it similar in size to the Mystic cruise ships. The plan is for just 60 staterooms with accommodations for 120 passengers plus 100 in crew.

The design will emphasize luxury and hospitality with the idea being that each passenger can feel like the owner of a mega-yacht. The cruise ship will operate mainly in Japan and southwest Asia.

The new Japanese cruise ship will be built at the Viana do Castelo shipyard and is scheduled for delivery in 2027. West Sea is valuing the order at around €100 million.

The concept of modern mega-yacht cruise ships was launched as the cruise industry developed with the first new ships known as the Sea Goddesses launched in the mid-1980s. The niche market has continued to grow and was elevated by Scenic Cruises which recently built two mega-yacht style luxury cruise ships as well as two similar ships for its Emerald Cruises brand. These ships are marketed internationally and will now be joined by the Ryobi ship. 

The Japanese cruise market is seeing a resurgence with NYK building a 52,200 gross ton cruise ship Asuka III at Meyer Werft, while MOL is using the ship acquired from Carnival Corp. to launch a new international cruise operation. MOL has also reported plans to build cruise ships for the Japanese market. The major international cruise brands also operate cruises marketed to Japan which is seen as a growing market for leisure travel.

Do biofuels harm the planet more than gasoline?
A new study suggests that biofuels can mitigate only 37 percent of the CO2 released by burning the biofuel.

Janet S. Carter/AP/File

Corn kernels peer out from the husk of an ear of corn in a North 

Carolina cornfield. Biofuel is made from the stalks and leaves of corn.

August 27, 2016
By Rowena Lindsay Staff CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

Corn ethanol and biodiesel biofuels may be more environmentally damaging than petroleum gasoline, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Energy Institute (UMEI),

The surprising finding comes after the research team, led by UMEI researcher John DeCicco, analyzed the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbed as the crops grow and then released when they are burned as biofuel. They calculated that the aggregate US crop yield can remove only 37 percent of the CO2 that burning biofuel releases into the air.

“What we found is that when you actually look at how quickly crops like corn and soybeans pull CO2 from the air and compare that with the emissions that occur when the biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel are burned, you find out that they are not carbon neutral like everyone has been assuming,” Dr. DeCicco tells The Christian Science Monitor.




That's a flawed premise, argues Daniel Schrag, a geology professor at Harvard who advises the EPA on bioenergy climate impacts. He says that biofuels don't have to be carbon neutral to be an environmentally preferable alternative to petroleum gasoline.

“For about 10 years there have been very careful studies of corn ethanol and all of the fossil carbon that is used to make it ... and those studies have gotten a range of answers, but it is about a 20 percent reduction of net emissions relative to gasoline,” says Professor Schrag in an interview with the Monitor. “Nobody ever thought corn ethanol was carbon neutral, because there are lots and lots of fossil inputs to it.”

The biofuel debate has raged for years, with critics worried about the impact of the additional land deforested to convert to corn fields, and proponents arguing for biofuel as a green alternative to gasoline. Another group says that it is really too soon to tell.

The conversation has generally been dictated by the food vs. fuel debate. This focuses on the indirect consequences of biofuel crop production, such as land use and deforestation, which create a ripple effect felt by the entire global food market.

DeCicco decided to question the basic life cycle analysis model that previous studies relied on, some of which had assumed that biofuel is carbon neutral and that only production-related greenhouse gas emissions need to be taken into account when comparing biofuel to fossil fuels.


Whether you burn biofuel ethanol or petroleum gasoline, he argues, the same amount of CO2 is released into the atmosphere. So comparing the fuels' environmental impacts comes down to how efficiently that carbon can be removed from the air, he says – and forests are better at that than cornfields.

"The United States uses 40 percent of its corn harvest to make ethanol, but that does not mean mean we eat 40 percent less corn-based products," DeCicco tells the Monitor.

DeCicco explains that as cropland once used for food is transferred to fuel use, food must be produced elsewhere, meaning that more grasslands and forests are converted to production. However, grasslands and forests can neutralize more carbon dioxide than crops, he says.

Schrag says that this ignores the long-term perspective, when biofuels make up for carbon loss from forests.

“In their approach time scale does not come into it,” he tells the Monitor. “They are looking at crop yield data and assuming that you should balance the carbon cycle based on how much crops you produce.”

Michael Wang, a researcher at the Argonne National Laboratory, tells the Monitor that he also questions the study's carbon accounting, arguing that the study does not properly account for the carbon uptake or that corn production for both ethanol and for food increased over the period of the study.

“The carbon uptake by the US farming systems is calculated based only on grain harvest," Dr. Wang tells the Monitor. "Carbon uptake embedded in above- and below-ground biomass is ignored in the paper with a simple assumption that carbon in these biomass sources are oxidized back to the air."

Additionally, the research received funding from the American Petroleum Institute, which critics say is grounds for skepticism, but the UMEI researchers stated that “the analysis, results and conclusions presented [in their study] are those of the authors alone.”

Other experts have come out in support of the research. Tim Searchinger, a researcher at the Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy Program at Princeton University, said that the research was very narrow, but useful.

“This article is saying that if you think the reason biofuels are helping to solve climate change is because the US is increasing its production of crops and that increased production of crops offsets the carbon release from burning the biofuels, you’re wrong. That is not what is happening,” Mr. Searchinger tells the Monitor. “What reduces carbon in the atmosphere is not the biofuel, it is the plant growth.”

DeCicco says that the solution is not to make biofuel more efficient, but to invest in reforestation.

“We should not be trying to make biofuels at all, any time soon,” DeCicco tells the Monitor. “It is much better to reforest and restore ecosystems.... Reforestation is a much better way to remove CO2 than anything we can do with biofuels.”

Corn-based ethanol is environmentally damaging in the short run

Science Apr 21, 2014 3:40 PM EDT

It turns out production of corn-based ethanol has a tremendous environmental cost, according to a new $500,000 government-funded study released on Sunday.

While corn-based ethanol proves better in the long-run, the study, published in peer-reviewed journal Nature Climate Change, says the biofuel initially produces seven percent more greenhouse gases at first than conventional gasoline. This conclusion challenges the Obama administration’s stance for corn-ethanol policies — which calls cellulosic ethanol a better, low-polluting alternative to petroleum.

The Environmental Protection Agency passed the Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007 to include specific volume standards for renewable fuel as well as renewable fuel categories. It also specifies criteria for both renewable fuels and for the feed stocks used to produce them. The recent study basically argues that biofuels won’t meet the standards in this law to qualify as renewable fuel.

Administration officials and the EPA, however, criticized the study as flawed. In a statement, EPA spokeswoman Liz Purchia argued that the study “does not provide enough information relevant to the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from corn stover ethanol.”

An EPA spokeswoman, Liz Purchia, said in a statement that the study “does not provide useful information relevant to the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from corn stover ethanol”