Topic: Is methanol the clean motor yacht fuel of the future? This co*pany thinks so... (Read 14 times)
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Topic: Is methanol the clean motor yacht fuel of the future? This co*pany thinks so... (Read 14 times)
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When more power is needed, the methanol can also be burned in a pair of specially adapted 360hp direct injection co*bustion engines, enabling faster cruising speeds of up to 22 knots.
The beauty of this parallel hybrid system is that it gives all the benefits of an electric vessel, such as silent operation and fewer emissions, without the drawbacks of limited speed and range. Weatherly says the zero.63 has an expected range of around 2,500nm.
He’s also refreshingly honest about methanol’s limitations. Due to its lower energy density (roughly half that of diesel) you need to carry twice as much of it. It also has a low flash point and almost invisible flame, which means additional fire precautions are needed, plus only a small proportion of the world’s methanol production is truly green – the majority of it is refined from natural gas, known as grey methanol.
The first two have already been taken care of with the aid of an extra large 10,000-litre fuel tank slung between the hulls for maximum safety and a methanol fire suppression system triggered by heat (rather than smoke) detectors.
Archipelago’s zero.63 promises to co*bine the speed and range of a diesel craft with the environmental benefits and silence of an electric one
The issue of methanol’s credentials as a green fuel is more co*plex. It’s a much cleaner burning fuel than either diesel or petrol, with far fewer harmful emissions such as oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, not to mention the sooty particulates visible in diesel smoke. It also biodegrades quickly and safely in water and soil.
However, unlike hydrogen, which emits only water when burnt, methanol does create a certain amount of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. It still represents a significant saving over liquid fossil fuels (studies put the saving at around 28%) but unless the methanol has been produced using green technology it is not a true carbon neutral fuel.
The crucial difference is that unlike fossil fuels, methanol can be produced in a sustainable way, either by distilling it from biomass (much like alcohol) or by co*bining carbon dioxide (using carbon capture technology) with green hydrogen produced by electrolysis in wind or solar farms. The hope is that the wider take up of methanol and the increasing demand for zero-carbon fuels spurred on by ever tighter regulations will drive the growth of green methanol production.
In the meantime, Archipelago Yachts and its partner Chartwell Marine have already co*pleted the design phase of the zero.63 with the help of an Innovate UK Smart Grant and are now hoping to win further funding (or find a wealthy customer) to help turn their vision into reality.
The technology already exists, with suppliers sourced for all the different elements of the drivetrain, so it’s just a question of putting it all together on a new purpose built hull. Weatherly puts the cost at around £4.5 million, a considerable premium over the £2.8 million price tag of a conventional diesel-powered Archipelago 63, but a drop in the ocean when it co*es to securing a greener future for the wider marine industry.
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