Is Glycerine the Next Marine Fuel?
Following a year described as “intense activity,” the Glycerine Fuel for Marine Sustainability project (GLEAMS) concluded that Glycerine is a viable, exceptionally clean alternative marine fuel. The GLEAMS project claims that it has been particularly successful in dispelling the notion that glycerine is unsuitable for use as a fuel due to its physical and chemical properties, as it demonstrated that glycerine could be used as a fuel in compression ignition engines by displaying the glycerine powered GLEAMS emissions test engine at Seawork International 2014.
Making the Case for Glycerine as Clean Marine Fuel
After a year of intense activity, Marine South East’s GLEAMS (Glycerine Fuel for Marine Sustainability) project has concluded that Glycerine is a viable, exceptionally clean alternative marine fuel. Over the course of the initiative the project consortium gathered evidence and conducted analysis to prove that glycerine is a technically viable, very low emissions alternative fuel for the marine market. The factors, both positive and negative, influencing the adoption of the technology have been teased out and assessed and found favorable in significant defined markets.
Examining Glycerol as a Potential Marine Fuel
The Technology Strategy Board GLEAMS project is currently investigating technology by which marine vessels will be able to surpass the very highest regulatory standards required for sulphur and nitrous oxide emissions, as well as slashing their carbon emissions and potentially reducing fuel costs. One solution may be the use of glycerol, (commonly glycerine), as a fuel for marine diesel engines. There is a global oversupply of glycerol, a by-product of the expanding biofuel industry.
