US ethanol could fuel growing methanol-capable fleet, MEMA study finds
US is well-positioned to support maritime biofuel demand, with around 2 billion gallons a year of spare ethanol production capacity, according to Maritime Ethanol & Methanol Alliance.
Ethanol can use the dual-fuel engines and bunkering infrastructure built for methanol with limited modification, according to a new study published on Thursday (12 November) by the Maritime Ethanol & Methanol Alliance (MEMA), a platform of the Global Centre for Green Fuels (GCGF).
That gives shipowners a readily available fuel for a growing fleet at a time when supply of low-emission methanol remains constrained.
According to the study, Marine Ethanol: Unlocking the US Opportunity, ethanol can support the more than 300 methanol-capable vessels in service or on order, either on its own or blended with methanol.
The study adds that the US is well placed to meet shipping’s growing demand for biofuels. US plants can produce 18.5 billion gallons a year against 2025 output of 16.4 billion gallons, leaving around 2 billion gallons of spare capacity. The US already produces just over half of the world’s fuel ethanol. It exports to around 80 countries, largely through Gulf Coast terminals that are also major bunkering hubs.
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