Rolls-Royce and yacht/shipbuilder Lürssen are making a strong case for methanol as an environmentally friendly and climate-friendly fuel for yachts. They are already working on specific projects, including the propulsion of a Lürssen yacht using mtu methanol engines from Rolls-Royce. The two companies made the announcement at the Monaco Yacht Show, the world’s largest exhibition for large yachts.

The companies plan to focus on yachts with lengths of 75 meters and above, which offer great potential for being powered by methanol – ideally ‘green’ methanol. This is a synthetic fuel produced by taking carbon dioxide (which is harmful to the climate) from the atmosphere and converting it using electricity from renewable generation such as solar or wind farms. The amount of carbon dioxide given off by engines running on ‘green’ methanol is equivalent to the amount originally extracted from the air, resulting in a ‘net zero’ carbon footprint.

In addition, methanol engines emit…