Page 11 - Annual Review 2021 full

Annual Review 2021

vii. Bio-LNG can bring large well-to-wake GHG • The ability to blend the fuel.
reductions (although these can be offset by
methane slip), but at present is limited. • In general there is currently a reasonable
amount of uncertainty and lack of
viii. E-LNG expensive but could bring even higher standardisation surrounding blending
well-to-wake GHG reductions. Huge power limits (e.g. inconsistencies between
demand in production. manufacturers and lack of standards).

Methanol (CH3OH) • However, the technical feasibility of using
i. Methanol is currently widely handled as a higher blends of some biofuel options is
cargo substance with recognised regulations becoming clearer with pilot programmes
and guidelines. and trials.

ii. There has been very limited deployment as • Other barriers to short-term deployment,
a marine fuel to-date, but promising results such as practical challenges of recertifying
achieved by early adopters. existing engines and the onboard retrofit
and adaptation required to use some
iii. Production uses generally well-established biofuel types.
processes, but there are some feedstock
constraints. iii. The sustainability of biofuels is heavily
dependent on the type of feedstock used.
iv. Engine retrofit conversion is possible, but
availability of ‘off-the-shelf’ methanol engines is iv. Near term biofuels deployment will depend on
also increasing. policy measures to overcome the increased
costs of biofuels use.
v. Onshore infrastructure and equipment for
storage and transportation of methanol is well v. In the mid to long term, achieving higher
understood in principle. biofuels deployment will rely on continued
policy support, as well as reducing conversion
vi. Cost comparisons show that while currently costs for Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL)
more expensive than MGO and HFO, there is and pyrolysis oils, and increasing access
potential for future cost reductions. to sustainable feedstocks for Hydrotreated
Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Fatty Acid Methyl
vii. All low carbon routes have components at Esters (FAME).
an early stage of commercialisation: Carbon
Capture and Storage (CCS) for fossil routes, vi. There is likely to be competition for oil-based
gasification for bio/waste routes and combined feedstocks for HVO and FAME in the near
renewable electricity, fuel synthesis and term, given demands from road transport
ultimately Direct Air Capture (DAC) for e-fuel and aviation. In the longer term, competition
routes. could emerge from across the economy
for lignocellulosic feedstocks for HVO and
viii. While the use of methanol shows promising pyrolysis oils. It is possible that governments
technical readiness in several areas, progress and regulatory bodies may respond to
towards a position of widespread adoption concerns over feedstock competition through
would still be hampered by several commercial, intervention or prioritisation efforts, ensuring
policy and sustainability barriers, as well as the that feedstocks are used for applications
starting point of very limited current use. that have the fewest alternative fuel options
available, such as shipping and aviation.
Biofuels Followings are a few promising future fuels that
i. With the ability to be used as ‘drop-in’ are currently in demonstration and development
(substitute without engine modification) fuels or stages:
to be blended with existing fossil fuels, biofuels
have a strong potential use case for short- Ammonia (NH3)
term deployment to realise net GHG emission
reductions quickly. i. GHG emissions: To deliver significant CO2
reduction ammonia should be produced using
ii. The extent to which they can be directly used electrolytic H2 and energy from renewable
as drop-in fuels depends on: sources.

ii. Distribution: The production, storage, and

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