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Green fishing boat runs on chip fat |
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Monday, 08 October 2007 |
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Scientists have unveiled the world's greenest fishing boat - powered by
vegetable oil sourced from a local chip shop.
The 30ft prototype vessel
runs on bio-diesel made of the oil which releases lower levels of
carbon dioxide and zero sulphur emissions.
Researchers are using the fuel on fishing vessel Ma Gandole which is undergoing tests off Newlyn in Cornwall.
The traditional wooden boat is being run on the oil to see if can operate at full capacity as a commercial vessel catching crab.
All the bio-diesel is manufactured from recycled vegetable oil, mainly sourced from fish and chip shop The Galley.
If
successful the technology could be implemented on commercial fishing
vessels around the globe and significantly reduce the impact of harmful
emissions.
The project is being run by the Camborne School of
Mines (CSM), part of the University of Exeter in Devon. Project manager
Neill Wood said: "This is the first time bio-diesel has been used in a
commercial fishing vessel and in future it could be an alternative to
red diesel.
"We estimate that if we could convert the entire
fishing fleet in just one local port such as Newlyn we could cut fossil
carbon dioxide emissions by up to 9,000 tonnes per year, as well as
seeing potential cost savings.
"We are very excited to be
leading this project, which could result in the UK's fishing fleets
using environmentally-friendly bio-fuel."
One of the aims of the
project is to determine whether bio-diesel can be used as a direct
substitute for red diesel in fishing boats without the need for
modifications to the engine or fuel system.
The bio-diesel is
created by reacting vegetable oil or animal fats with an alcohol to
form an organic compound called methyl ester, which has very similar
properties to conventional diesel.
The fuel can be relatively carbon neutral, so does not contribute to global warming to the extent that ordinary diesel does.
It
is also free from sulphur, which causes acid rain, and if spilled
causes far less pollution as it is rapidly biodegradable and far less
toxic than ordinary diesel.
The University of Exeter received
funding of more than £300,000 from Defra and the Objective One
Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) and Seafish to carry
out the project.
article copyright WESTERN MORNING NEWS
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