Vancouver, B.C., September 26, 2022 – With global commitments to reduce petroleum-based fuels like diesel or heavy fuel oil, clean alternatives used by ships and to generate power in the Arctic are urgently needed. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is often suggested as a good substitute fuel that would especially benefit Canada’s northern communities.
A report on Investigating Liquefied Natural Gas as a Marine Fuel for Canada’s Arctic released by Clear Seas provides policy makers, industry, and local communities with the information they need to decide if LNG is a good choice. This project by the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance (CNGVA), VARD Marine, and Clear Seas with support from Transport Canada’s Innovation Centre, investigated the feasibility, benefits, and risks of the use of natural gas to replace some or all the current diesel and heavy fuel oil used in the Canadian Arctic. Read the report here.
The environmental benefits of LNG include reductions in oil spill risk and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur oxides (SOX), nitrogen oxides (NOX), particulate matter, and black carbon. However, emissions of methane, a powerful short-term greenhouse gas, increase. The change in 100-year global warming potential CO2-equivalent emissions in the Canadian Arctic from the different LNG implementation scenarios depends on which engine technology is used. This ranges from limited or no benefit from using the more common high-methane emissions engines and up to 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from less common low-methane emission engines.
The report reviews the uses and characteristics of LNG, including liquefaction, storage, and available technologies. It also covers the socioeconomic and environmental risks and benefits, and the issues relating to LNG safety, training, regulations, infrastructures, costs and climate change implications.
About Clear Seas
Clear Seas is a Canadian not-for-profit and independent research centre that provides impartial information on marine shipping to policy makers and the public. The organization’s research agenda is defined internally in response to current issues, reviewed by a research advisory committee, and approved by a board of directors. All publications are at clearseas.org
Media Contact:
Edward Downing
Director of Communications
Tel.: (778) 730-1359 or cell (604) 817-3058
edward.downing@clearseas.org