Smart Port Challenge (SPC) is an annual innovation competition to find the best ideas and solutions from technology start-ups to address challenges, or innovation opportunities, put forth by maritime corporates in Singapore.

This will be an online event, held from the PIER71TM office in Singapore.

Innovation Opportunity: Accelerating Biofuel Adoption: How Can We Increase The Adoption Of Biofuels Through Assurance Of Their Quality And Traceability?

Key Focus Area: Green Technology & Decarbonisation

Biofuels are a promising option for the maritime sector to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, owing to their “drop-in” characteristic: the ability to replace conventional maritime fuels without substantial modifications.

However, the adoption of biofuels faces several hurdles. Biofuels with fatty acid methyl esters content are prone to degradation, and traceability is a concern as the origin of biofuels affects their sustainability. Furthermore, there is a shortage of biofuel feedstock globally and some shipowners in Singapore are hesitant to utilize biofuels due to their higher costs and concerns over engine damage.

Challenges

Quality

Shelf life of biofuels are shorter as compared to diesel

Current solutions to address biofuel degradation and its corrosive impact on engines include using coatings on engines/pipes, additives to mitigate degradation, and lab testing of biofuel quality

Oily nature of biofuels requires engine filters to be changed up to three times more regularly

Traceability

Tracing biofuels from their origin to their final use is essential for sustainability assurance since carbon emission profiles of biofuels vary depending on their source

Desired Outcome

Solution spaces could include improving the quality of biofuels, cost-effective quality testing methods, digital passports for biofuels that track them along the supply chain, or ways to increase feedstock supply (e.g., community sources) and produce biofuels more cost-effectively.

Successful solutions will:

Have faster turnaround time to detect degradation with a cheaper, in-situ method; testing will be suitable for different onboard conditions

Account for and verify nature of feedstock and well to wake emissions

Market Potential

Desirability

To decarbonise, biofuels are the top alternative energy option for harbour crafts in the near-term

Ensuring quality would reduce maintenance costs as biofuel degradation corrodes engine equipment

Improving the traceability of biofuels would increase trust in biofuels and ensure that actual emission reductions are achieved

Full details on the Innovation Opportunity can be found here.

Hear from the corporate speakers and engage with them with your queries to spur your ideation towards a solution for this Innovation Opportunity.

For more about PIER71TM: www.pier71.sg

Smart Port Challenge 2023: https://pier71.sg/smart-port-challenge/

Proposal Submission by 31 July 2023, 5pm (SGT) to: https://pier71.typeform.com/to/bkwkN6ki

PIER71 SPC Roadshow on Biofuels - Online Event

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