CE Delft, a Dutch research and consulting organization, recently released the latest report on the impact of marine EGCS (exhaust gas purification) system on climate. This study compared the different effects of using EGCS and using low sulfur marine fuels on the environment.
The report concludes that EGCS have less impact on the environment than low sulfur marine fuels. The report points out that compared with the carbon dioxide generated when the EGC system is operated, the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the production and installation of the EGC system are smaller. Carbon dioxide emissions are mainly related to the energy demand of pumps in the system, which usually leads to an increase of 1.5% to 3% of the total carbon dioxide emissions.
In contrast, the carbon dioxide emissions from the use of desulfurized fuels need to consider the refining process. According to the theoretical calculation, removing the sulfur content in the fuel will increase the carbon dioxide emissions from 1% to 25%. The report points out that it is impossible to reach the lower figure in this range in actual operation. Similarly, the higher percentage will be reached only when the fuel quality is higher than the marine requirements. Therefore, it is concluded that the carbon dioxide emissions related to the production of low sulfur marine fuels will be between these extreme values, as shown in the attached figure.
Jasper Faber, project manager of CE Delft, said: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the climate impact of different schemes to reduce sulfur emissions. It shows that in many cases, the carbon footprint of using desulfurizer is lower than that of low sulfur fuel.
The study also shows that the greenhouse gas emissions of the shipping industry have increased by more than 10% in the past five years. It is expected that emissions will increase by 50% by 2050, which means that if IMO’s goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this industry is to be achieved, all aspects of the industry must be reviewed. One of the more important steps is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while complying with MARPOL annex VI.
Post time: Sep-07-2022