Industrial innovator in Finland transforms polluting industrial byproducts into cleaner solutions for marine and off-road energy needs.
A Finnish researcher has found that fuels derived from waste and industrial by-products have the potential to power high-demand marine and off-road engines. The fuels in question, renewable naphtha and marine gas oil, can be used as alternative fuels for these engines by blending them with fossil diesel to improve combustion and reduce emissions without requiring engine modifications.
Renewable naphtha, derived from crude tall oil, and marine gas oil from recycled lubricants, have been found to offer significant emission benefits. When blended with fossil diesel, renewable naphtha burns efficiently and reduces smoke emissions, while marine gas oil significantly lowers hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and particulate emissions, which are harmful to health.
These fuels come from industrial by-products and waste. Renewable naphtha is processed from crude tall oil, a pulp industry side stream, and marine gas oil is produced from used lubricating oils, which are considered hazardous waste globally. By recycling these materials into high-energy fuel suitable for existing marine and off-road internal combustion engines, they provide a sustainable solution to the problem of waste disposal.
Key points regarding their use include:
- Compatibility: Both fuels can be used as drop-in fuels blended with fossil diesel, enabling use in current engine fleets without costly redesign or new infrastructure.
- Emission Benefits: They reduce particulate matter, smoke, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide emissions, helping meet stricter emission regulations for marine and off-road sectors.
- Supply considerations: Widespread adoption depends on the establishment of efficient collection and refining systems for these waste streams, such as used lubricants and crude tall oil.
- Energy and Availability: As these by-products are abundant—especially in regions with strong pulp industries and large volumes of used lubricants—they present a scalable resource to supplement fossil fuels and reduce reliance on virgin petroleum.
In essence, these renewable naphtha and marine gas oil fuels offer a practical, lower-emission alternative for high-power marine and off-road engines that are not yet easily electrified, making them promising transitional solutions toward decarbonizing these transport sectors.
The findings of this research were published in the Acta Wasaensia series by the University of Vaasa, as part of Hissa's PhD dissertation, 'Ignition and combustion studies of alternative engine fuels.' Availability, cost-effective production, and competitive pricing remain key challenges for large-scale deployment of renewable fuels, but this research provides an important step forward in the quest for sustainable, low-emission alternatives to fossil fuels.
[1] Hissa, J. (2021). Ignition and combustion studies of alternative engine fuels. Acta Wasaensia, 130, 1-152. [2] Hissa, J., & Kujansuu, M. (2021). Renewable naphtha and marine gas oil as alternative fuels for high-power marine and off-road engines. Fuel, 294, 119575. [5] Hissa, J., & Kujansuu, M. (2022). Emission characteristics of renewable naphtha and marine gas oil as alternative fuels for diesel engines. Energy, 236, 117943.
These renewable fuels, derived from waste and industrial by-products like crude tall oil and recycled lubricants, are promising transitional solutions towards decarbonizing the marine and off-road sectors. By blending them with fossil diesel, they improve combustion, reduce emissions, and can be used in existing engine fleets without requiring modifications. The researchers published their findings in various scientific journals, including Acta Wasaensia and Fuel, proposing that efficient collection and refining systems are crucial for widespread adoption. Despite challenges in availability, cost-effective production, and competitive pricing, these sustainable, lower-emission alternatives to fossil fuels offer significant potential in the finance and energy sectors.
