Study shows 23% GHG reductions with LNG, but sceptics remain

摘要

Two studies released on the same day express widely different opinions of the environmental benefits of LNG as a marine fuel, clouding an already murky decarbonisation picture for shipowners. One study, 2nd Lifecycle GHG Emission Study on the use of LNG as a Marine Fuel from Sphera, backed by industry coalitions SEA/LNG and the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) reports using LNG as a fuel can result in greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of up to 23%. A second study, Charting a course for decarbonising maritime transport, issued by the World Bank, says LNG will likely play a "limited role in decarbonising the shipping sector" and discourages continued government policies that support LNG as a bunker fuel and making investments in LNG bunkering infrastructure. Instead of liquefying and supplying it as bunker fuel, contends the World Bank, natural gas should be paired with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to create a fuel feedstock to produce 'blue' hydrogen or ammonia. 'Green' versions of the fuels would be produced using electricity produced by renewables.