A closer look at carbon-free fuels for shipping

The decarbonisation of shipping is a key step in the global fight against climate change. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has adopted mandatory measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping. One proposal is ammonia – a potential marine fuel. One drawback, however, is the risk of nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. The EU-funded ENGIMMONIA project will promote the global introduction of alternative fuels like ammonia and transfer clean energy technologies successfully demonstrated in terrestrial applications like waste heat recovery and renewables to the maritime sector. It will explore the benefits of carbon-free fuel for vessel engine application and develop an exhaust aftertreatment system.

Objective

The decarbonisation targets of the shipping sector by IMO are extremely challenging and require active measures as soon as possible. ENGIMMONIA comes with solutions that focus on two main pillars: i) promote the global introduction of alternative fuels (ammonia), ii) transfer to maritime sector clean energy technologies robustly demonstrated for terrestrial application (e.g. Waste heat recovery, renewables etc). ENGIMMONIA will indeed study the benefits of using a carbon-free fuel like ammonia (that in any case could have a GHG impact due to N2O emissions that should be properly treated by an EATS to be developed in ENGIMMONIA under AUTH/DTU supervision) in vessel engines also coupling its benefits/performances with other clean energy technologies like: (1) waste heat recovery solutions based on ORC and adsorption chiller for the production of electricity and space cooling respectively, (2) renewables integration on board thanks to the installation of PV composite surface easily installable on vessel structural parts , (3) on board fuel/energy/heat management optimization via real time Energy Mangement System; towards the creation of ENGIMMONIA polygeneration energy hub. Targeting long term full decarbonization of shipping sector, ENGIMMONIA will capitalize previous R&D initiatives that already tested some of these technologies for terrestrial application, moving them to marine sector also from a regulatory/business point of view under RINA coordination, as a naval classification body. To do so technologies will be demonstrated at TRL>5 in real scale engines (MAN) and on board of three vessels: an oil tanker (FAMOUS), a shipping vessel (DANAOS) and a ferry (ANEK) thus proving their replicability on board of different type of vessels. To guarantee ENGIMMONIA innovations wide acceptance, maritime sector’s key players are involved (C-JOB, MAN, RINA-C etc.) while other will interact as stakeholders, also supporting IMO and IACS initiatives at policy/regulatory level.

More info: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/955413 ↗