Memorandum submitted by Greenwave
1. INTRODUCTION
2. Greenwave International Limited is a
UK registered charity no 1123414.
3. The charity exists both to remind the
global shipping industry of its environmental obligations and
to develop meaningful, sustainable and affordable ways to meet
those obligations.
4. Our research and development team is
focused primarily on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
from shipping and CO2 in particular.
5. Greenwave believes that action by the
global shipping industry to reduce CO2 emissions has to be accelerated
if global and EU targets are to be achieved and to this end we
have developed both practical technologies and policies to assist
a speedier reduction of emissions.
6. The charity protects the intellectual
copyright of its solutions but licenses them back to the industry
on a not for profit basis. This is to (a) avoid commercialisation
of our work by third parties and (b) to bring solutions to the
global market at the lowest possible cost thus reducing barriers
to adoption.
7. We work closely with Southampton Solent
University and Lloyds Register in the UK and with Auckland University
in New Zealand.
8. The charity's work is funded by donations
from the shipping industry and our R&D programme is supported
by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.
9. GREENWAVE'S
RELEVANCE TO
THE INQUIRY
10. Greenwave has developed sustainable
technologies for reducing CO2 and other emissions from shipping
using renewable power—wind engine technology. The use of
wind power to deliver a significant amount of thrust to propel
the ship enables power from the main engines to be reduced saving
fuel and thus CO2 while still maintaining speed.
11. Four full size wind engines can deliver
the same thrust as a Boeing 737 at take off from the free and
renewable power of the wind.
12. Average annual savings of 13% can be
achieved representing around 900 tonnes of fuel per ship (for
say a 60,000 tonne bulk carrier) equivalent to almost 3,000 tonnes
of CO2.
13. Thus Greenwave technologies help conserve
a diminishing resource (oil) as well as reducing emissions and
saving the ship operator a substantial amount of money in the
process.
14. Greenwave has also developed a modular
drag reduction kit capable of reducing CO2 by over 150 tonnes
per ship per year by saving 50 tonnes of fuel as a result of improved
above-deck aerodynamics.
15. The capital cost of equipment and fitting
of all Greenwave technologies will have a maximum three year payback
from fuel saved. Thus they are commercially viable as well as
practical and effective.
16. No additional crew is required to
operate these technologies and they are suitable for retro fitting
to approximately 40,000 ships within the existing global fleet.
17. THE UK'S
OPPORTUNITY FOR
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL
LEADERSHIP AND
SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL
REGENERATION
18. Once type approvals are completed by
Lloyds Register (currently underway) and independently verified
sea trials have taken place (first half of 2009—fund raising
permitting) manufacturing and fitting these sustainable technologies
provides opportunities for new jobs and urban regeneration.
19. A small number of locations will be
required worldwide for installation and production in order to
service a global industry. Key locations are Asia, Europe and
The Americas.
20. The UK can make a good case for being
the European hub.
21. The technologies themselves are not
particularly challenging from a fabrication perspective. Most
of the components (except for the rotor) can be purchased "off
the shelf" and rotor production, using proven manufacturing
methods and modern (renewable) materials can be developed without
the need for massive investment in tooling.
22. Ship yards are required for installation
which is a relatively quick and simple process. Dry docking is
not anticipated.
23. Given the UK's heritage in ship building
and related services, both the industrial infrastructure for manufacture
and installation as well as a sufficiently skilled work force
is readily available.
24. Both wind engines and drag kits can
be manufactured in the same location.
25. New environmental technology represents
an opportunity to create sustainable jobs and the regeneration
of industrial areas in the UK.
26. Distribution of these technologies to
a wider global market is a requirement but again the UK has plenty
of working ports that can act as distribution points for installation
elsewhere.
27. Greenwave has already commenced exploratory
discussions with a Social Enterprise Advisor at Business Link
in North Yorkshire and the Hartlepool Enterprise Team in order
to explore these opportunities for job creation and urban regeneration.
The response has been extremely encouraging.
28. However, we have, to date, been unable
to identify any assistance from the government to support either
our research or the marketing of the developed solutions.
29. POLICIES
TO "GET
THERE QUICKER"
30. In the 10 years since the responsibility
for Greenhouse gas emissions was given to the IMO under the Kyoto
protocol, no action has yet been agreed (at the time of writing)
for the reduction of CO2.
31. While Greenwave understands the difficulties
the IMO has in reaching unanimity it is simply unacceptable that
the current levels of emissions continue unabated while discussions
drag on. When it comes to action on climate change we face a very
real timing problem.
32. We do not have another 10 years. We
have to start taking actions now.
33. A simple and verifiable method of CO2
calculation
34. In addition to the technology solutions
outlined earlier Greenwave wishes to inspire the UK government
into taking a stronger leadership role in promoting policies that
reward the quick adopters of emission reduction technologies and
incentivise the laggards.
35. In order to achieve that it must first
be possible to identify those ships that are more environmentally
friendly in respect of emissions reduction.
36. Since the IMO has accepted a formula
for calculating CO2 produced by each tonne of fuel burned (multiply
by between 3.1 and 3.2 to convert whichever grade of fossil fuel
is used) it is possible to baseline current fuel consumption using
ships logs and then have a simple measurement device for fuel.
Two sealed flow meters linked to a sealed printer (sealed = tamper-proof)
that self certifies the effect of whatever fuel saving technologies
have been fitted.
37. Many technicians in the industry are
struggling with the challenge of how to measure ALL the exhaust
gases including particulate matter which changes as it goes through
the exhaust process.
38. While the scientists and technicians
try to resolve that complex issue we should identify CO2 as the
prime target and focus on doing something about that now. We cannot
wait until we can solve all the emission measurement issues during
which time ships continue to contribute substantially to global
warming.
39. Once the "good guys" and the
"bad guys" can be identified we can look at simple incentives.
40. Green Lanes for Shipping at Ports
41. There has been much debate about the
concept of differentiated port dues as a way of rewarding and
penalising. It has proved controversial.
42. Let us take an example from the road
transport industry where the reward for car sharing is to have
an exclusive "fast lane" to and from work.
43. The government could introduce a Green
Lane for shipping that enables independently verified "greener"
ships to go to the front of the queue on arrival in port.
44. Turnaround time in port is a serious
commercial incentive.
45. Operationally it has virtually no cost
for the port authority and it could be implemented rapidly.
46. Leadership—a coalition of the willing
47. Returning to the urgency and the IMO's
predicament, they cannot go anywhere on CO2 until the last person
is "on the bus". The consequence is that the bus hasn't
moved. Yet many people on that bus want to get going.
48. More leadership is needed to create
a "coalition of the willing" of all those countries,
institutions and shipping industry players who recognise the problem
exists now and needs action now.
49. If the solutions to reduce emissions,
that are already in development or already developed, were added
together (in a variety of different combinations) the industry
would actually be able to make significant reductions. But the
industry has left the problem to the IMO which has been rendered
ineffective by its own membership.
50. What is needed is leadership.
51. The Sustainable Shipping Initiative
being drafted currently by Forum for the Future offers precisely
the kind of independent leadership role that the industry needs
if it is to make an urgent step change in its progress on emission
reduction. www.forumforthefuture.org
52. Forum for the Future is a UK charity
for sustainable development whose founding directors include Jonathon
Porritt from the Government's advisor, the Sustainable Development
Commission.
53. SUMMARY
54. The shipping industry must rapidly accelerate
action to mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions, particularly
in respect of CO2.
55. Sustainable solutions such as wind power,
can play a significant part in reducing global emissions if given
the support to develop.
56. The industry is fragmented and requires
co-ordinated leadership in a coalition of the many parties ready
and willing to act on ways to mitigate shipping's contribution
to GHG emissions. Government support for the Sustainable Shipping
Initiative being drafted by Forum for the Future would assist
this.
57. There is a real opportunity for the
UK government to be seen to be initiating, simple practical steps
now to actively encourage adoption of green technologies through
simplified CO2 emission measurement and the adoption of Green
Lanes in ports.
58. In the current economic downturn two
beacons of opportunity shine out.
59. First, saving fuel is the only way to
reduce CO2 from ships and in so doing it conserves a diminishing
resource and actually delivers a substantial commercial return
for shipping. Savings approaching US$ 250,000 per ship per year
are achievable with wind power alone, even at current lower fuel
prices.
60. Second is the opportunity to create
economic revival in depressed regions of the UK's industrial heartlands
from which sustainable jobs would flow.
61. It is difficult to envisage a new industry
more deserving of support in these uncertain times than one which
offers sustainable improvements on climate change, sustainable
jobs and regional economic revival while contributing to the well
being of both the UK and the global community.
20 November 2008
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