The British Ports Association (BPA) has today published a new guide for ports on alternative fuels that could be used to replace diesel and reduce emissions in their non-road mobile machinery (NRMM).
The guide has been produced by the Zemo Partnership for the BPA and covers a range of biofuels, low carbon hydrogen, and electrification.
NRMM accounts for the majority of a port’s landside scope one emissions and can be challenging to decarbonise, with a range of options at different stages of maturity and with a range of different benefits and drawbacks. Some of the fuels covered in the guide may also be options for use in ports’ marine assets, such as pilot boats, tugs and dredgers, although support from government is needed to encourage wider uptake.
Download the Guide (PDF)
Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy & External Affairs at the British Ports Association said,
Many ports are already using low or zero emissions fuels to decarbonise their port operations. This guide highlights some of the options available for reducing quayside emissions, although they generally come at a cost.
Government needs to match the ambition of industry with further support for electrification and the use of biofuels in both NRMM and ports’ marine assets, where the application of the renewable transport fuel obligation regulations is a barrier for many ports that will have to bear large cost increases to use or continue using lower carbon options.
Jackie Savage, Author of the Guide and Project Manager, Zemo Partnership also commented,
Renewable fuels offer a huge opportunity to decarbonise NRMM at ports across the UK. Quick wins can be made today using sustainable biofuels in existing engine technology. Innovative demonstration trials are currently underway showcasing the deployment of low carbon hydrogen in fuel cell and ICE powered generators.
Zemo’s Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme is enabling companies running machinery on biofuels or hydrogen to have independent validation that their renewable fuel supply chain is low carbon and produced from sustainable feedstocks.