Tag: biofuels

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus' vision of a more fuel-efficient force marked a milestone in January when the service deployed its so-called Great Green Fleet. The dream of the Great Green Fleet came to life as the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis left on its latest deployment, with five biofuel-powered ships alongside for the first time.

From 1st January 2016, ships which intend to carry Biofuel blends containing 75 per cent or more of petroleum oil, shall have an oil content meter (OCM) approved in compliance with resolution MEPC.108(49) as modified by resolution MEPC.240(65).IMO has issued MEPC.1/circ.858 regarding the issuance of revised certificate of type approval for oil content meters intended for monitoring the discharge of oil-contaminated water from the cargo tank areas of oil tankers. When the oil content meter (OCM) has been approved in accordance with resolution MEPC.108(49) before 17 May 2013, the Form of Type Approval Certificate (TAC), as provided in resolution MEPC.108(49), may be used:for OCMs installed on ships not carrying biofuel blends; orfor OCMs installed on ships carrying biofuel blends, until 1 January 2016 (on the condition that the tank residues and washings are pumped ashore).For all ships carrying biofuel blends on or after 1 January 2016, the OCM should have a TAC, as modified by resolution MEPC.240(65).When the OCM has been tested and submitted for approval (or re-approval in the case of OCMs that have undergone modifications but were originally approved in accordance with resolution MEPC.108(49)) on or after 17 May 2013, regardless of whether the OCM is intended for ...

 A new $1 million relationship between Michigan State University and ExxonMobil will expand research designed to progress the fundamental science required to advance algae-based fuels.David Kramer, MSU’s John Hannah Distinguished Professor in Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics at the MSU-DOE Plant and Research Laboratory, says that the overall goal of the partnership is to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis in microalgae to produce biofuels and bioproducts.“Photosynthesis is the biological process that plants and algae use to store solar energy in biomass. It is how all our food is made, and we would starve without it,” said Kramer, who is leading the grant with Ben Lucker with the PRL and Joe Weissman, Distinguished Scientific Associate at ExxonMobil.The key to bioenergy is the efficiency of photosynthesis, the process algae use to capture solar energy and the first step in converting the energy from the sun into a liquid fuel. Past research has shown that algae photosynthesis can be highly efficient under optimal conditions in the laboratory. Under realistic growth conditions however, this efficiency drops. There is a need to improve photosynthesis under simulated production environments.“Fortunately, nature has provided us with a great potential for improvement. There are many different strains of algae that have ...

 Boskalis, and Wärtsilä jointly announced their collaboration with GoodFuels Marine. The consortium will pioneer the development of sustainable “drop in” marine biofuels for the shipping industry. Netherlands-based GoodFuels Marine and its partners will spearhead a two-year pilot programme to accelerate the development of truly sustainable, scalable and affordable marine biofuels. Biofuels are today not part of the marine fuel mix that operators and owners can choose from. This means that shipping is missing an opportunity to utilise what should be a price competitive, environmentally friendly fuel option.   The programme’s focus will be on delivering and analysing a sustainable feedstock, securing industry certification, and preparing the building blocks for large-scale production. Additionally, the consortium will initiate a global scalability study involving leading shipowners, universities, NGOs, ports, biofuel companies and other industry stakeholders. The aim will be to identify tangible opportunities for scaling supply to the world’s commercial shipping fleet.   Theo Baartmans, COO, Boskalis commented:“We strongly believe in the need for sustainable “drop in” marine biofuels and their potential as part of the long term fuel mix, as we see them as an important means of improving the sustainability of the industry. Participating in this pilot and making our vessels available ...

 Researchers at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) have unlocked a treasure chest of ‘super-algae’ that could provide a previously untapped source of oil.Using a newly devised technique, scientists examined micro-algae strains in the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP), an internationally important algal store based at SAMS in Oban, to find out which ocean-based strains had the highest oil content.The screening revealed two marine strains, Nannochloropis oceanica (pictured below) and Chlorella vulgaris, which had a dry-weight oil content of more than 50 per cent. This makes them ideal sources of biofuel for vehicles and aircraft.The results of the screening, part of the BioMara project, have been published in Nature’s online journal Scientific Reports and are likely to help bring forward research into algae as a source of biodiesel and other biofuels by a number of years.SAMS scientists have demonstrated that Nannochloropsis, for example, is very efficient at converting nutrients, so it has the perfect combination of high levels of oil and high productivity.The report’s lead author, Dr Stephen Slocombe, SAMS research associate in molecular biology, said: “In order to produce biofuels from micro-algae we will have to generate high yields, so we need to know which strains ...

 The Port of Rotterdam Authority predicts a great future for the biobased industry, which is why it intends to further strengthen Rotterdam’s leading position in this sector. To provide room for growth, the Port of Rotterdam designated an 80-ha plot with greenfield opportunities at Maasvlakte 2, specifically geared towards an innovative chemical industry that uses biomass as feedstock.(You may click on the infographic above for a larger view) A unique feature of this area is its Plug & Play concept. In partnership with specialist suppliers E.ON, Vopak, Stedin and Evides, the Port of Rotterdam invests in the necessary local industrial infrastructure and utilities, so that biobased companies can focus on their core business. In addition newcomers aren’t required to reserve capex for matters like tank storage, energy networks, wastewater treatment plants and steam boilers. This can result in some 20 percent lower investment costs.BioPort Rotterdam is an exceptionally strategic and attractive business location for biobased companies. The Netherlands has the most competitive sugar industry in the world. Over ten million tonnes of cereals, corn and lingo-cellulosics are traded, stored and transshipped in Rotterdam on an annual basis.In addition, Rotterdam is Europe’s foremost port and a key hub for international cargo flows. ...

  Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC,  has welcomed the recent announcement by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) in support of the use of fuels blended with up to 16 percent biobutanol in recreational marine engines. This decision follows five years of evaluation performed by NMMA with the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), under the direction and guidance of the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Specifically, biobutanol was identified as a safe and compatible option for growing the use of renewable fuels in marine engines. It complements the extensive body of work sponsored and published by Butamax on the value and compatibility of 16 percent biobutanol blends with automotive engines and refueling infrastructure. Jeff Wasil, BRP-Evinrude Engineering Manager for Emissions Testing, Certification & Regulatory Development and a key contributor to the NMMA biobutanol evaluation, noted “BRP-Evinrude and the marine industry appreciate the technical expertise Butamax provided to NMMA’s marine engine evaluation program, as well as Butamax’s long-term efforts to bring biobutanol to the fuels market for our customers.”   Biobutanol-blended fuels are especially valuable for use in marine engines, as they are highly resistant to phase separation in the presence of water and have been demonstrated to offer ...