Page 17 - Port Of Hamburg Magazine 04.2019

manica‘, a 240-metre long ferry with a capacity of 300 cars and 1,300 passengers. He states that: “As far as the ship’s engine is concerned, this always in- volves a major refit, since methanol as a fuel has to be burned in a petrol engine, not a diesel.” It makes no difference how the methanol is produced, wheth- er from renewable hydrogen in a synthesis with CO2, or a chemical process.
Nevertheless, methanol could also be suitable for large vessels. Aida Cruises is participating in the ‘Pa- X-ell2’ project promoted by the Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure – BMVI. Its aim is to demonstrate practical solutions for climate-neu- tral mobility throughout the entire shipping industry. In this actual case, after intensive testing on land, from 2021 the fuel cells manufactured by Freuden- berg will be tested for the first time on board the AidaNova under real conditions. The fuel cells will be powered by hydrogen extracted from methanol, which in the best case can be produced from renew- able energy.
AWARDED PRIZE
Major chemical companies, too, such as Dow in Sta- de are working on projects enabling them to produce
methanol on a large scale going forward. Up to now the company has manufactured some 50,000 tons of hydrogen by electrolysis annually. During the com- ing year Dow will use the existing electrolysis capacity to produce hydrogen for the manufacture of methanol. It is planned to filter out the waste gas- es from one of its own gas-driven power stations, and by adding hydrogen to transform them into methanol, as well. Given this creative idea the com- pany entered and won the BMWI’s award for ‘Real Laboratories of the Energy Revolution’.
RECYCLING CARBON DIOXIDE
The George Olah plant belonging to the Icelandic Carbon Recycling International company may pro- vide a model for Dow’s implementation. Since 2011 they have been producing green methanol there from geothermal energy; now running at five million litres annually. To achieve this, the plant re- cycles 5,500 tons of carbon dioxide from the geo- thermal power station, which otherwise would be released into the atmosphere. The planned 50-mil- lion litre Dow plant would represent a further step towards real industrial application on a major scale. ■
INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY ■
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