For its own decarbonization, the shipping sector does not must over-rely on opportunities and possibilities offered by e-fuels. The warning is from the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, The Research Centre for the Decarbonisation of Transport Maritime supported by financial institutions and companies Danish maritime companies which are mainly part of the group shipowner A.P. Møller-Mærsk. In a published study Today the research center explains that if on the one hand the electrofuels allow a substantial reduction in carbon emissions, on the other hand the decarbonisation of shipping implemented using synthetic fuels would require a sufficient supply of renewable electricity which, However, it is increasingly in demand from other industries for their decarbonisation.

The study of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping highlights that if electricity renewable will not be enough to meet demand from all sectors, this will result in a Rising prices of synthetic fuels and a growing cross-sectoral competition. The document notes that the sector maritime, since it has some of the costs of abatement of higher emissions, may not be available, or able to compete for high-end renewable electricity cost, and this would limit the use of synthetic fuels and It would represent an obstacle to the decarbonization of shipping.

The study specifies that if there is technical potential to create more renewable electricity in the long term which is sufficient to meet the demand of all sectors, however, it is currently unclear whether it will be possible. increase electricity creation fairly quickly from renewable sources in order to meet the demand of each sector by 2050.

The study analyses the reasons why in the short term the Renewable energy supply could be limited, drawing The conclusion that it is not regulations or policy Main obstacles to increasing electricity generation renewable, but rather the lack of materials and resources. In In particular, the document identifies four main obstacles: sufficient availability of copper, nickel and rare earths, important elements for solar and wind power plants, and for the production of hydrogen from renewable electricity, and the shortage of manpower for installation, maintenance and supply of solar and wind power plants, workers - notes the study - which could be found by transferring them from the oil and gas industry, a transfer which, however, would also take time in view of the need to retrain staff.

This shortage of materials and labour, according to the researchers, will result in a limitation of availability renewable electricity over the next decade and probably also in the next, with predictable supplies Limited e-fuels available for the transport sector maritime. The study notes that, based on these perspectives, The maritime industry could secure electricity supplies renewable with long-term contracts, and do it before others sectors move. Otherwise shipping should provide, during the transitional period, for the use of alternative fuels, such as "blue" fuels, those produced using nuclear energy, batteries or biofuels, depending on their availability.