Biogas-fuelled ship engine
9-10
Technology Description
In liquefied biogas internal combustion engine ships, propulsion and auxiliaries are powered by an engine running on natural gas.
At the time of writing, the majority of engines in operation are low-pressure dual fuel, which are characterised by methane slips that limit the GHG mitigation potential of this powertrain. The adoption of direct injection high pressure engines could limit the slip (Source: https://theicct.org/publications/climate-impacts-LNG-marine-fuel-2020).
Relevance for Net Zero
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) allows for the reduction of pollutant emissions such as NOx and SOx, but its climate change mitigation potential is fairly limited. While industries that design maritime engines are making efforts to design methane slip-free engines, the 25% GHG emissions reduction potential of LNG limits its role in achieving the longer term target of complete shipping sector decarbonisation. Liquefied biomethane could be a sustainable pathway to use gas engines in shipping, but the limited availability of sustainably sourced biomass for the production of biogas and the high cost of methane as a synthetic fuel (from electrolysis from low-carbon electricity with a carbon-source), compared to other fuel options, hinder its deployment.
Key Countries
Have a solution for
this technology?
List your innovation on the InCarbZero platform and increase your visibility to industry partners.