Leading the way to sustainable solutions

GCMD & VPS provide groundbreaking, innovative means to detect fraud in the sustainable biofuel supply chain

The Biofuel Detectives - The Proof is in the Testing

Sustainability is fast becoming a common term within today’s society, certainly when linked to global decarbonisation. The world’s population has become increasingly more aware of the human carbon-footprint and the need to reduce green-house gas emissions.

As an industry, world shipping is not exempt and levels of environmental legislation and directives being placed upon this sector are rapidly multiplying in order to achieve net-zero-carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution. Due to this increasing drive to reduce shipping’s global emissions, the move away from the use of traditional fossil fuels is gathering momentum and heading towards using alternative low-to-zero carbon fuels.

One such fuel type is biofuel and in particular FAME-based biofuel. Whether it be 100% FAME, or blends of FAME with traditional marine fossil fuels, FAME, or Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, to give the full name, provides an immediate option to reduce shipping’s CO2 emissions.

However, how can it be proven that the bio-component of the biofuel, is truly sustainable?

A newly released paper detailing ground-breaking, innovative research and development through a collaboration between the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the world’s leading Maritime Decarbonisation Testing and Advisory Services company, VPS, provides the solution.

The paper, entitled “Rapid Forensic Analysis of FAME-based Biofuels” is now available on the GCMD’s website: https://gcformd.org/our-publications/

The paper highlights how VPS’ extensive experience in marine fuel analysis and considerable expertise in the use of the high-end forensic analytical technique, gas chromatography (GC), can be utilised to identify the true source of the bio-component (the oil). This newly developed, unique proprietary test method from VPS, can be applied to all FAME-based biofuels, both 100% (B100) and blends, eg B30. This identification helps to determine whether or not, the FAME is produced from a sustainable source. It should be noted that not all FAME-based Biofuels have the same properties and since suppliers do not indicate the source oil, testing is so important to understand these properties. This is becoming increasingly important as the availability of FAME is driving suppliers to source FAME-based biofuels from an increasingly wide variety of exotic source oils.

VPS are now in a position to offer this unique and vital service to its customers, as a further means to support shipowners and operators in their drive to be compliant with both global and regional environmental legislation and ensure traceable sustainability of their operations.

The GCMD-VPS collaboration is proving to be a partnership which is delivering key solutions to the maritime sector, as shipping moves to becoming a truly sustainable industry.

VPS’ recent work on biofuels is now discussed in an article published in the current Dec/Jan edition of the Bunkerspot magazine, which can be accessed at: www.bunkerspot.com/magazines  entitled, “Learning Curve”.

Contact

For more information on maritime decarbonisation services please contact: Steve Bee at steve.bee@vpsveritas.com