Biomethane Supply May Not Meet Shipping's 2030 Fuel Needs
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) has released a report that suggests the global biomethane supply could fall short of meeting shipping's fuel needs by 2030. According to the centre, the estimated demand for low-emissions fuel in 2030 would be around 29.7 billion cubic meters (bcm), while the projected biomethane supply under a base-case scenario is around 21 bcm.
However, this does not necessarily mean that shipping will have trouble accessing enough biomethane to meet its needs. The report highlights that mass balancing could play a key role in enabling shipping to access biomethane injected into the natural gas grid and credit it to maritime fuel use elsewhere through a certified chain of custody.
Without a globally recognised system for mass balancing, shipping would have to rely on physically segregated biomethane supply chains, which would be difficult and costly to scale. Additionally, the growth of the methane-capable fleet and bunkering infrastructure will also impact shipping's ability to use biomethane.