News

13.05.2008

Alternative Fuels - The Quest for the Holy Grail

The recent shenanigans of the EU have left us facing the prospect of paying full road duty on our marine diesel, and thrown the current fuel supply problems into sharp relief for all boaters.

With oil prices soaring at over $100 a barrel, we all have to face the fact that we are dealing with a finite resource, and the search for alternatives is well and truly on.

With this in mind, The RYA and BMF’s Green Blue project has been busy on your behalf looking some of the more environmentally friendly options.

None of us ever wanted to damage the environment, but up until recently the closest many boaters have come to worrying about a ‘carbon footprint’ was when they trampled the remnants of last night’s barbecue across their deck.

However, the need for alternative fuels has never been more urgent and projects such as Earthrace a have highlighted the potential of alternative fuels.

Eathrace is a speedboat powered by Biodiesel which is attempting to break the record for racing around the world. One particularly diverting headline from an American publication stated: ‘Biodiesel from human ass fat powers race boat’. Nice.

And that’s just it; if they can race around the world on the remnants of liposuction then surely to goodness we could use it for our boats. It seems realistic, why aren’t we doing it? (Not the liposuction!)

The Green Blue’s study took many factors into account, including greenhouse gas emissions, air quality emissions, sustainability benefits, safety, cost and aquatic pollution risks.

For a full evaluation of the merits of the various fuels, go to the bottom of the page, but let’s cut to the chase, what were the general conclusions?

Conclusions

What we all want to hear is that there is some kind of definite conclusion, a brighter future, but as ever it’s not as simple as that.

Some solutions are highly successful at saving the environment but not terribly cost effective at powering your boat, one of these is Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology.

Sarah Black, project manager at The Green Blue, said: “To me this still looks like the fuel of the future; in many ways it ticks all the boxes in terms of emissions, power and efficiency.

“However, it is also evident from this study that it will be some time before it is commercially viable.”

On the other hand whilst it is clear that on the inland waterways electric power is already providing a very viable alternative to fossil fuels, electric boats still do not generally have the necessary grunt to work in tidal areas.

It is also evident that Biofuels, particularly Biodiesel are coming on in leaps and bounds, and the potential to use it is far more immediate than many of us realised.

The fact that the EU have decreed that all diesel sold at the pumps by 2010 should contain 5% biodiesel illustrates this fact.

Sarah said: “The signs for biodiesel are extremely encouraging; however I do see it more as a way of supplementing our existing diesel supply rather than replacing it.

“This is because there are serious questions about the impact that huge biofuel cash crops could have in terms of destroying fragile ecosystems and cutting food production.”

Part of the reason we go boating in the first place is to enjoy the beauty of our natural surroundings and for all of us the sooner a viable alternative is found the better. What would make us all really happy would be as solution which lightened the load on our wallets aswell.....

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is made from oil rich plants such as sunflowers. In fact one of the very first diesel engines, made in 1895 ran on peanut oil.

A recent directive EU directive stipulates that by 2010 5% of diesel sold at our pumps should be biodiesel.

Good Points:

Lower emissions of greenhouse gases.
Insoluble and biodegradable.
Existing diesel engines can run on biodiesel.
Duty free if you make up to 2,500 litres a year or buy from someone who makes less than 2,500 litres.

Not So Good

Using blends of petroleum diesel and biodiesel with over 5% will invalidate your engine warranty.
Biodiesel can degrade over relatively short periods of time.
Acts as a mild solvent which can soften some older hoses and clips.
Some debate over impact of mass biofuel crops, both on food supplies and the destruction of ecosystems to grow cash biofuel crops.
Issues of availability at marinas

Pure plant Oil (PPO)

As the name would suggest, this is just pure, untreated vegetable oil.

Good Points

Even greater reduction in harmful emissions.
Biodegradeable and not flammable
Duty free if you make up to 2,500 litres a year or buy from someone who makes less than 2,500 litres.

Not So Good

Need a conversion kit for your diesel engine,costing around £4,000. This would also invalidate any warranty.
Suffers from the same sustainability and supply issues as biodiesel.

Bioethanol

Bioethanol is the kind of petrol equivalent to biodiesel, it is produced by fermenting starch crops such as corn, wheat, or sugar crops.

Good points

Biodegradeable with lower emissions than conventional petrol.
Same duty rules as Biodiesel.
Can be used in a normal petrol engine when blended with standard petroleum although higher blends require a conversion kit.

Not So Good

The cost of producing bioethanol is three times as great as producing petrol.
Bioethanol attracts water- not good on a boat.
Can work as a solvent in high concentrations
Relatively unstable, with a short shelf life
Debate over sustainability of bioethanol- production technique is extremely energy intensive.

Battery Power

Battery powered motorboats are nothing new, in fact they were very popular on the Thames in the 1890’s before falling into decline. They have enjoyed resurgence in recent years and there are innumerable electric boats operating on the Upper Thames.

Good Points

Clean and emission free on the water.
Cheap to run- an overnight recharge coasts about £1.
Proven track record on inland waterways.

Not So Good

Batteries can’t generate enough power to deal with strong tides or heavy storms.
The average battery powered boat has a range of around 30-40 miles.
Generating electricity often requires the burning of fossil fuels.

Hybrids

One alternative is a hybrid electric boat, utilising both electric and diesel power.

Good Points

Best of both worlds
Diesel engine can charge up the battery , so no need for recharging points.

Not So Good

At present costs are prohibitive.
Extra batteries combined with motor could create a weight and space issue in smaller boats.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen fuel cells create electricity through a reaction between Hydrogen and Oxygen. This creates an electrical charge which can power an electric motor.

Good Points

Hydrogen fuel cells have the potential to produce greater power than electric motors and have a greater range.
No harmful emissions created by the motor whilst emissions made in the creation of the compressed Hydrogen is far less than traditional fuels.

Not So Good.

The main problem is that the technology is in its infancy, with no established supply lines or storage methods for Hydrogen, which can be a volatile.

Costs at this stage are also prohibitive, both in terms of the fuel cells themselves, and also producing hydrogen.

»View the full Alternative Fuels Report