Cleaner boating? Do’s and don’ts for recreational boats

There is a lot of talk about cars having to drastically reduce harmful emissions by 2035, never any mention of what will happen for recreational boats and boating.

Cleaner boating. How?

At last some clarity comes from a report called “Pathways to Decarbonization for the Recreational Marine Industry” presented these days in Amsterdam by ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) at METS, the most important trade show dedicated to marine accessories.

The report, which analyzes boats up to 24 meters, is clear in its vagueness. It only suggests possible routes to reduce “up to 90%” without compromising the distance a boat can travel or its performance.

We have tried to understand what suggestions are contained in the report that are useful in rethinking the world of recreational boating when there will be, because there will come, more restrictive regulations than the absolute freedom that reigns today.

The main points of the boating decarbonization pathway according to “Decarbonization Pathways for the Recreational Boating Industry” are:

– Cleaner fuels right away. There is talk of converting current petroleum-derived fuel with, “drop-in” renewable fuels (fuel made by converting a plethora of biomass types into crude oil-like bio-oil, ed.).

In northern European countries they have long been a reality. For current endothermic engines, nothing changes; there is no need for any modification. But these fuels, which are produced using renewable energy, are currently hardly distributed in Mediterranean countries.

– Hydrogen, a utopia?Hydrogen is an emerging technology and another potential perfect “fuel” to reduce carbon emissions from boats. But serious and consistent industrial production of hydrogen is so far away that it remains a nice project without practical consistency. Without forgetting that it is not just a matter of fuel, the hydrogen powertrain is still far from being mass-produced.

– Electric propulsion, yes but… Research debunks some myths about electric propulsion. For example, it states that types of boats with reduced use with battery electric systems are unlikely to produce a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the internal combustion engine. Also, regarding batteries, it is important to note that battery performance decreases over time, regardless of usage. With a negative impact, especially on vessels that have a long life span but are not used frequently. These require several battery replacements over their lifetime. And spent batteries are a huge source of pollution.

– Hybrid solution, the ideal. The report makes a stark choice, the best for decarbonization is the hybrid, electric/internal combustion solution, with the added use of renewable fuels. They offer the masism potential to reduce carbon emissions from boats in certain scenarios, i.e., boats used for longer periods of time and longer distances. As a result, hybrid technology offers the greatest potential for reducing emissions for boats used for charter and other high-use environments.

When are the incentives coming?

The Research emphasizes a sore point. Why are there no incentives for recreational boating to achieve decarbonization, as there are in other sectors, such as the auto industry? The proposed recipe is research and development tax credits and investment to improve electric battery density and hydrogen research that can be applied to the marine environment.

Read more: https://propellingourfuture.com/