Decarbonization in sports boating
Zarpar is the platform that connects boat owners and crew to live unique nautical experiences. ZARPAR’s mission is to multiply x10 the use of boats in Spain and promote social boating. From 15 outings per year per boat only in summers, to 150 outings all year round.
Decarbonization in sports boating
Raúl García Redondo, Repsol
An interesting talk was offered on decarbonization in the nautical sector. Although the main focus is on the merchant navy, many of the concepts and solutions are perfectly applicable to sports boating.
The nautical sector: more efficient than it seems
Contrary to what many think, the maritime sector is quite efficient in terms of CO2 emissions per unit of energy consumed. That said, it has an important challenge: vessels have a very long useful life (25-30 years for merchant ships, and similar for recreational boats), which means that the energy transition must be gradual and well thought out.
European regulation has been in the works since 2011, but it must go at the pace that the industry can handle.
The energy trilemma: balancing three priorities
García Redondo explained the concept of the “energy trilemma”, which seeks to balance three key aspects:
- Security of supply (energy independence)
- Sustainability (environmental respect)
- Affordability (economically viable)
Although lately the issue of decarbonization has lost some traction compared to energy security (due to geopolitical issues), it remains a priority that sooner or later will have to be addressed.
Levers for decarbonization
Beyond fuels, there are multiple strategies to reduce emissions:
- Hull redesign
- Bubble mattresses to reduce friction
- Route optimization to take advantage of currents
- Use of sails (even mechanical sails on merchant ships)
But fuels remain a fundamental lever.
The range of fuel alternatives
García Redondo reviewed the different options available:
Scrubbers
Equipment that washes exhaust fumes with water to capture particles and CO2. The problem: what to do with that liquid waste? Not all ports are prepared to manage it.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
More efficient than traditional fossil fuels, but it took 25 years to develop all the necessary infrastructure. And it’s not perfect.
Electricity
The “white blackbird”, but it requires a brutal investment in infrastructure. The famous blackout reminds us that it’s not that simple.
Nuclear
Operationally ideal (7 years without refueling), but… which port authority wants a nuclear ship in its port?
Synthetic fuels
Gasoline or diesel “handmade” from carbon and hydrogen. Perfect, but very expensive.
Methanol and Ammonia
The two great current hopes as hydrogen vectors. The problem with ammonia: does anyone want their port to smell like that?
HVO: Repsol’s bet
HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is the fuel that Repsol is betting heavily on. It’s produced from used cooking oil treated with hydrogen, and has very interesting advantages:
- Direct diesel substitute: Requires no modifications to engines or infrastructure
- Better than conventional diesel:
- Higher flash point (safer)
- Cetane of 70-80 (vs 57-58 for diesel), which avoids engine problems
- Less sulfur
- 90% CO2 reduction in complete life cycle
- Completely mixable with conventional diesel (almost identical densities: 0.79 vs 0.82)
- Circular economy: gives second life to waste materials
The elephant in the room: the price
Honestly, García Redondo admitted that a ton of used oil currently costs 1,500 euros, compared to less than 500 dollars for a barrel of crude oil. It doesn’t make economic sense… yet. It’s a bet that in 5-10 years it will be economically competitive.
And the future?
Things are changing fast. Shell and BP have halted the construction of plants for these fuels because the numbers don’t add up. The ban on combustion engines in Europe in 2035 may be amended. Diesel consumption is not falling as expected.
In short, the energy transition is complex, costly and full of uncertainties. But there are viable solutions in the short and medium term. For yacht clubs and marinas, HVO can be an interesting option: it allows decarbonization without having to change infrastructure or engines, buying time to see how all this evolves.
As García Redondo said: “The best customer is the one who knows everything there is and chooses what’s best for them”. Now you know a little more to make informed decisions.