James Corbett
examines the market potential and environmental trade-offs of using natural gas
in marine fuels.
(September 23, 2015) As
the maritime shipping industry transitions toward cleaner fuels in response to
new environmental regulations and emissions standards, abundant supplies of
natural gas in the United States, and worldwide, appear to offer a promising
solution in transportation industries.
Natural gas is considered by many to be a 21st century
energy resource that will enable multiple sectors, including shipping, to
transition away from petroleum fuels. But, questions remain about whether the
economic and energy potential benefits include co-benefits for the environment.
The University of Delaware’s James Corbett, a professor of
marine science and policy in UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, has
spent the past 15 years working to improve environmental policy on global
shipping.
In a study published this week in the international journal
Energy Policy, Corbett, in partnership with James Winebrake, a professor at
Rochester Institute of Technology, and recent UD doctoral graduate Heather
Thomson, evaluated whether a transition to using liquid natural gas (LNG) to
power marine vessels can reduce both local pollution and greenhouse gas in the
marine environment, and whether fueling ships at major ports can help develop
the natural gas infrastructure.
Study findings indicate that while using natural gas will
reduce emissions in the marine sector, the implications for greenhouse gases
depends on how the natural gas is extracted, processed, distributed and used.