Alternative Fuels for the Big Ships at Sea

..."In a computational study leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), scientists at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory assessed 160 billion molecules to screen the molecules for suitability as liquid carriers of hydrogen.

The team whittled down the candidates to a mere 41; the task passes into the hands of experimentalists now to test the promising ones. An open-access paper on the work is published in the RSC journal Digital Discovery."...

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2024/01/20240111-anl.html

I'm surprised that 25% of the ships ordered have chosen alternative fuels. Shipping companies tend to be risk averse and a ship represents are large capital expense. I suspect these ships may not be intended for trans-oceanic routes and may be dedicated to certain routes supporting the alternative fuels.

We are going to have to harvest a lot of trees to support that methanol production. Unless of course you want to produce methanol using natural gas or coal.

..."With methanol available at over 125 of the world’s largest ports, its use as a marine fuel can help the shipping industry meet increasingly strict air emissions regulations."...

I would say it's mostly made from nat gas at this time, but can be produced sustainably in the future making this the first step on a path to carbon neutrality....maybe

https://www.methanex.com/about-methanol/marine-fuel/

You see they are being forced by legislation to meet emissions targets, they have no choice...Ships can be denied access to ports or fined, if they don't meet regulation...who wants to guess who will be the first port to start enforcing emissions compliance ?

https://www.portoflosangeles.org/environment/air-quality

Is the amount of CO₂ production just measured at the smokestack of the ship, or is the CO₂ production required to synthesize methanol from natural gas also taken into account?

I would think they are more concerned with LOx NOx, ozone and particularly particulate emissions effecting the air quality adjacent to the ports....that's why they are disallowing older trucks in the area as well...

https://www.portoflosangeles.org/references/2023-news-releases

https://www.portoflosangeles.org/environment/air-quality/clean-truck-program

..."The pollution from port operations is like having 6 million more cars driving around every day, and it's estimated to cause 1,300 premature deaths in Los Angeles and Long Beach each year.Dec 10, 2021"...

https://www.curbed.com/2021/12/los-angeles-port-supply-chain-smog.html

...although fentanyl deaths continue to out pace the air pollution in premature deaths per year...no mention on that front...

..."Accidental fentanyl overdose deaths increased 1,652% from 109 in 2016 to 1,910 in 2022. From 2016 to 2021, fentanyl overdose ED visits increased 621% from 133 to 959, and fentanyl overdose hospitalizations increased 225% from 102 to 332 cases.Nov 26, 2023"....

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/MDU/SpecialReport/FentanylOverdosesInLosAngelesCounty.pdf

That is definitely part of the reason. Maersk did some work on this before making the jump - Green Methanol

When they talk about ‘Green Methanol’, what makes it green?, is it the feed stock they use to make Methanol?, because the process itself to make methanol is definitely not green.

Companies are struggling to keep emissions at a level as not to invoke Title V from the EPA.

Methane is one of the most available fuels there is. Also, despite one of the biggest sources of it being located is the Gulf of Mexico, from where it has to be pipe lined ashore and treated to purify it. There is a delivery system from the source that can be placed anywhere methane is needed. Methanol is produced from Methane such as in Geismar, Louisiana, but this requires pipe lines or vehicle transportation.

A more available source is derived from the digestion of certain foods. Beans, Chili Dogs, Beer and many others can produce Methane which can be easily collected by a very simple modification of a commode. Dump the water out, change the discharge piping so it has a collection fan leading to a gas collection assembly instead or a sewer.

Before this is built, the flammability of methane as a potential source of heat can be easily proven in this manner: 1- eat plenty of beans or chili dogs (sometimes known as "Texas Wieners" in New Joisey); 2- When you feel like you are going to flatulate, remove some clothing so that your underwear is exposed. It is extremely important that you do NOT remove your underpants or panties; 3- immediately before flatulating, lean forward, hold a lit match to the vicinity of your anus, (close but not too close!); 4- as you flatulate, the methane from your large intestines will ignite and produce a yellow flame of varying sizes. 5- It is mandatory that you leave the cloth underpants or panties on since they act as a flame arrester to keep the flame from travelling back to the anus from which the methane came through. Failure to do this could cause a small amount of warmness up to extremely painful burns in the area the anus. 6- You now have a heat producing flame!

Arrangement with a ship's crew or others could be made to supply them with, highly flatulent beans, or other feed stock and use the before mentioned system to provide methane to the ship's boilers or internal combustion engines. This would work but the crew would probably insist on a higher rate of pay if they were the source of this fuel.

If you do not believe this would be a source of methane, ask some college student how he and his pals light there discharged methane in the dorms or the frat houses. Also ask them if they used the flame arresting cloth underwear. If they don't know what you are talking about, tell them to ask an Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry or Chemical Engineering professor. If they are not available, have them ask a cooperative favorite uncle, neighbor, friend's father or other college grad or equivalent person about this laboratory scale demonstration.

Old Salt

Any day on the green side of the grass is a GREAT DAY!

Will leaves be suitable for conversion to methanol?

If so,why not use leaves as a base stock for methanol or other fuel?

What happens if you mix sulfuric acid with cellulose?

There is an almost an unlimited supply of leaves in the world.

Why or why not?

Leaves actually emit methanol...

..."Methanol is found throughout the troposphere, with average concentrations second only to methane among atmospheric hydrocarbons. Proposed global methanol budgets are highly uncertain, but all agree that at least 60% of the total source arises from the terrestrial biosphere and primary emissions from plants. However, the magnitude of these emissions is also highly uncertain, and the environmental factors which control them require further elucidation."...

...."It was originally made by the destructive distillation of wood—hence, the once commonly used name “wood alcohol”.Mar 11, 2013"...

..."MeOH also occurs naturally in many plants, especially in fruits. MeOH is mainly synthesized from natural gas, but also from coal, mainly in China and South Africa. Biomass can be converted to MeOH via thermochemical and biotechnological pathways as shown in the following diagram."...

https://www.etipbioenergy.eu/index.php?

Seems like we have a huge supply of natural gas(methane) stored under pressure already...So probably not easy to match price...$5-6 a gallon

New world leader in green shipping | Maritime giant plans to add 60 hydrogen vessels and 60 ammonia ships

https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/new-world-leader-in-green-shipping-maritime-giant-plans-to-add-60-hydrogen-vessels-and-60-ammonia-ships/2-1-1584017

There is an almost an unlimited supply of leaves in the world.

That may depend on their "leaf philosophy." My own preference is to mulch the leaves and leave them on the lawn to become fertilizer. But there are plenty in non-lawn areas, but getting them gathered and transported to where they are needed would be costly. But don't forget that the rotting leaves in wild areas is what produce the wonderful soils.

There are plenty of leaves on city streets,so availability is not an issue,however,transporting and converting them is a problem.

I also mulch my grass and leaves,and never have to fertilize;A closed cycle.

Farmers used to burn off hay fields and grain fields after harvest,now they disc them in to add carbon to the soil.A lot better system.

But burning the fields also help raise the pH of the soil which benefits grasses and grains. It also helps sterilize any weed seed reducing the need for herbicides. These decisions are never black and white.

Globally, the fixation of carbon dioxide into plant materials takes place at about 45,000 tons per second. What is the rate of generation of it globally, one might ask?

If generation exceeds fixation for a long period then, well, doom awaits.

It is the large transoceanic vessels by the looks of it. The vessels seem to be dual-fuel capable, to allow for a transition.

And there are numerous ways of producing green ethanol & green ammonia (here is an very light overview, but it is oversimplified: https://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/stories/sustainability-and-climate-protection/the-revolution-of-green-methanol). I'm watching to see if there will be space for both, or if this is a VHS vs Betamax contest.

Methane is given off in mass quantities in some northern lakes. It can be turned into methanol.

turning-methane-methanol-under-ambient-conditions-using-light

Sounds like a win-win. Methane has about 28 times the green-house gas factor as CO₂, providing that it can be made economically feasible.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452-021-04869-x

Assuming sunlight is the starting point, <...methanol...> is a lot easier to make than <...LNG...>. The former, it can be done in a few weeks; the latter takes a few millenia.

Not really, just a big plate of beans for dinner...

In other words anaerobic digestion of plant material...

OH Shat!

IMHO:Soon there will be methane meters at both ends of people,in order to measure and tax the amount of methane. A carbon tax credit will be given to those that capture and use their methane to power their vehicles or heat their homes.

Beans will be outlawed,along with broccoli and asparagus.

Beano stock will soar.

Methane capture and compression and storage tanks will be readily available.

I already have plans drawn up for a methane capture unit..It is built on the same principal as the hemorrhoid cushion,but it is inflated by methane and generates enough back pressure to inject directly into the engine of you car.Future versions will include large versions for home use,so the whole family can contribute.

I am open for any suggestions about perhaps a silencer to avoid waking sleeping babies,etc.

Yes we have all that..

https://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/the-fart-vacuum/

There are several companies that have developed sails for large ships.They are computer controlled,and able to be lowered when required.Some are rigid,and some are deploy-able like an accordion.according to the need.
I think we will see these more and more in the future.Ironic,isn't it that we are using high tech sails to propel spacecraft,and ships,and the ancient mariners used sails for propulsion.

Back to the past it is,"ENERGIZE!"

Just found this:

Perhaps this could be used on a larger scale?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGQXGmGHg80

https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/production/chinese-carmaker-plans-world-s-biggest-green-hydrogen-to-methanol-project/2-1-1586770

The case for nuclear powered cargo ships...

Small modular reactors could work as an on-board power source with near zero emissions....and supply electric in port to defray expenses...not to mention raising the speed capability, ... saving time = money...With enough ships in port the entire port could be run on electric from the ships themselves...including cranes and other vehicles, trucks etc....

..."Today, some 200 nuclear reactors are already operating on 160 vessels, mostly naval ships and submarines. Nuclear-powered ships can go years without refueling. They do not need giant fuel tanks, which opens up more space for cargo and passengers. And the reactors themselves are getting better, too: Fourth-generation small modular reactors (SMRs) being developed by companies including U.S.-based TerraPower and London-based Newcleo should be safer and simpler to operate than conventional reactors."...

https://spectrum.ieee.org/nuclear-powered-cargo-ship

..."Compared to conventional fuels, renewable methanol cuts carbon dioxide emissions by up to 95%, reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80%, and completely eliminates sulfur oxide and particulate matter emissions."...

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020JD033439

The "renewable" modifier is very significant. We will need to grow a lot of trees. Or capture a lot of CO2 and put up a lot of windmills and solar panels to process the CO2 into methanol.

https://theicct.org/a-step-forward-for-green-methanol-and-its-potential-to-deliver-deep-ghg-reductions-in-maritime-shipping%E2%80%AF/

Or we could burn a lot of coal, to produce the CO2 to capture, and also the electricity to convert the CO2 into methanol.

Or use coal to produce methanol . . . (from the EPA)

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/tiff2png.cgi/9100Y28C.PNG?-r+75+-g+7+D%3A%5CZYFILES%5CINDEX%20DATA%5C86THRU90%5CTIFF%5C00002561%5C9100Y28C.TIF

Or natural gas . . . (from MIT)

https://energy.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/MITEI-The-Future-of-Natural-Gas.pdf

Of course, those two methods above have a positive net carbon de-sequestration. The plants and trees will love it.

Do I dare condense that into a few words: Renewables won't do it!

We need something better. In my opinion, that is Gen IV or "fast" nuclear. Or maybe fusion if we're able to wait a few decades.

It's pretty clear that nuclear is the way to go, I think SMR's are the most likely at this time... fusion is not a sure thing, no point in counting the chickens until the egg hatches...but supply line diversity is also a wise strategy, and tradeoffs are a gimme...

An artist’s rendition of a GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 nuclear unit. The BWRX-300 is a 300-MW boiling water reactor (BWR) that derives from the Gen III+ 1,520-MW ESBWR, which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission certified in 2014. Courtesy: GEH

Seems like these should be right in the cities for best efficiency. That way the power is close with fewer distribution losses and it could also supply a good bit of district heating with the cooling/condensing water.

Seems like these should be right in the cities for best efficiency.

True, but public opinion would probably not let it happen! It seems like anything with the word "nuclear" associated with it brings an irrational fear to many people. Take the popular medical test MRI-Magnetic Resonance Imaging. I think this is what we called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance when I was in college.

We could just call them SMR's...or clean energy plants(CEP's?)....New Energy Plants?...Battery Energy Plant...? Pollution Free Plant...Gen 4 energy plant...Green Plant...Sun energy plant...is it nuclear , yes but so is the Sun....

It's sort of ironic that the same cast of characters who were parading around chanting "No Nukes" forty years ago are now warming up to nuclear power as a "carbon-free" source of power.