GMF study says e-fuels demand to reach 600 million mt by 2050

An additional 2 terawatts (TW) of renewable electricity will be needed to meet the shipping demand for e-fuels by 2050, a Global Maritime Forum (GMF) study found.

PHOTO: Aerial view of a cargo ship at sea. Getty Images

The GMF study, titled 'Green Jobs and Maritime Decarbonisation', is centered on the IMO’s target to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions "by or around 2050". 

Large volumes of zero- and near-zero-emission fuels will be needed to fulfil this demand, the GMF says. E-ammonia will make up a significant portion of this volume, amounting to around 450 million mt.

E-ammonia is produced using renewable electricity to generate hydrogen by splitting water through electrolysis. The hydrogen is then combined with nitrogen extracted from the air to produce e-ammonia.

The forum’s analysis draws on energy demand projections by the US-based sustainability research firm, the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).

The RMI estimates that e-fuel demand will scale to around 500 million mt by 2040 and 600 million mt by 2050. This will require an additional 2 TW of renewable electricity capacity by 2050 and an infrastructural investment of £3.2 trillion ($4.02 trillion) by 2050.

The projected e-fuel demand growth is based on the expectation that e-fuels will dominate the marine fuel mix, RMI states.

By Manjula Nair

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