A consortium of companies in Japan has initiated the development of the first wood pellet-powered, biomass-fueled ship(bioship). The proposed technology could reduce carbon emissions by 22% effectively.
A ship powered by wood pellets
Japanese firms NYK Line(NYK), NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers (NBP) and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding have teamed up with UK-based Drax Group(Drax) for this project, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), they plan to have a bio-ship operational by the end of the decade.
The agreement involves the creation of a biomass fuel plant on board, essential for the operation of the bioboat. In addition, the companies will research renewable energy technologies to reduce technologies to reduce costs and emissions from biomass transportation.
This energy transition increasingly requires biomass pellets, mainly imported from North America. Drax produces these pellets in Canada as well as in the southern United States, and then transports them to Japan via NBP.
The environmental impact of the bioboat
Drax considers biomass, a low-carbon renewable energy source, and the company’s commitment to creating carbon negative by 2030, and decarbonizing its supply chain, to be highly essential to its goal.
Currently, small bulk carriers with limited fuel tank capacity face challenges in adopting lower-emission fuels, such as ammonia. This is where the development of an onboard biomass fuel plant becomes essential.
Paul Sheffield, commercial director of Drax Group highlighted the importance of the MoU in developing the technology needed to set Drax’s decarbonization targets and change the global shipping landscape.
Biomass Fuel Plant Implementation
The plant would use a gasifier to burn biomass at high temperatures, generating gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane. These gases, feeding a generator, would provide enough energy to power the bioboat.
The transition from traditional fuel to biomass. Source: Drax.
The companies claim that this technology could reduce the bioboat’s carbon emissions by 22% compared to fossil fuels. After analyzing the biomass plants and gasification systems, the companies will proceed with a feasibility study.
If successful, this project will develop the first “very low emission” ship powered by an organic material, such as wood pellets, with a completion date of the ship’s construction by the end of 2029.
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Source and photo: NYK Line
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