![](\"https:\/\/sea-tec.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/rolls-1.jpg\" "\\"rolls\\"")
<\/span><\/div>ROLLS-ROYCE SOLUTIONS DIRECTOR APPLICATION ENGINEERING MARINE & OFFSHORE TO DN: \u201cMETHANOL IS THE FUTURE\u201d<\/p><\/h2><\/div>
Director Application Engineering Marine & Offshore at\u00a0Rolls-Royce Solutions<\/a>\u00a0in Friedrichshafen, Germany,\u00a0Tobias Kohl<\/strong>\u00a0will speak at the\u00a0World Yachting Summit<\/a>\u00a0in Monaco, scheduled for April 15-17, to talk about the\u00a0fuels of the future<\/strong>. For years, he has been dedicated to developing alternative systems to\u00a0reduce the CO\u2082<\/strong>\u00a0footprint through sustainable energy sources and to increasing efficiency with modern propulsion systems, such as hybrid engines and exhaust gas post-treatment practices.<\/p>\n Daily Nautica, one of the media partners of the Monaco event, interviewed him to understand what the sector is working on and his vision regarding\u00a0sustainable propulsion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The speech at the World Yachting Summit in Monaco will focus on his field of specialization, nautical fuels: what are the current focus topics of the matter?<\/strong><\/p>\n The past: fossil based marine gasoil fuels (MGO) with a relatively high sulfur content; today: in tendency fossil based diesel fuel with\u00a0lower sulfur content<\/strong>\u00a0and a certain percentage of biofuel (EN590); today\/future: is partly\u00a0renewable fuels<\/strong>, based on organic waste, like HVO or FAME with a significant better CO2 balance. But\u00a0CO2 neutral fuels<\/strong>\u00a0like methanol are the future, as long as produced on renewable resources like green hydrogen. Focus for RR\/MTU<\/a>\u00a0is on \u201cgreener\u201d drop in fuels like HVO and on a mid to long term methanol. We do not see\u00a0hydrogen<\/a>\u00a0(because of the storga challenge) or\u00a0ammonia<\/a>\u00a0(because of toxicity) as fuels for our applications.<\/em><\/p>\n What are the alternative solutions in the field of engines and nautical propulsion that can make a difference in reducing the CO\u2082 footprint?<\/strong><\/p>\n Beside the fuel topic above, we see a very high potential in technologies which are able to increase the energy efficiency\/fuel burned:\u00a0modern common rail combustion engines<\/strong>\u00a0of the latest generation, like the series 4000M05 or series 2000M07 with best in class fuel consumption in combination with lowest emissions and exhaust gas aftertreatment solutions; intelligent propulsion and energy solutions to optimize the specific fuel consumption like\u00a0hybrid propulsion<\/strong>\u00a0and\/or the use of variable speed gensets and the use of batteries in combination;\u00a0optimization of (electrical) energy<\/strong>\u00a0consumption on board due to the use of low power\/more efficient equipment and intelligent power management; use of intelligent products from our\u00a0NautIQ portfolio (automation)<\/strong>\u00a0to analyze and optimize the operation profile and behavior; use of more efficient propulsors, like POD propellers, etc.; in general more efficient hulls and measures to increase efficiency of the vessel (shipyard\/designer know how).<\/em><\/p>\n Do you think that the goal of zero emissions can be reached in a relatively quick time or are the constraints of research and technical innovation still relevant, in your opinion?<\/strong><\/p>\n It is important to observe new technologies in general on the one side, on the other side we need to be clear in our messages to provide orientation about\u00a0technical applicability<\/strong>. Our clear focus on methanol is based on deep investigations like use cases for our relevant applications. The technology we\u2019re focusing on (green methanol<\/strong><\/a>) is in principle available and is actually made ready for industrial use. Nevertheless we\u2019re facing\u00a0several challenges<\/strong>: maturity of the technology for big scale commercial application, missing or insufficient regulatory framework or local\/global, challenge of infrastructure\/availability of green methanol worldwide; acceptance of more fuel volume on board (2x diesel) for the same range\/load profile; marked studies show a relevant trend towards Methanol from the year 2028 on.<\/em><\/p>\n In addition to the work on engines and energy sources, the issue of exhaust gas post-treatment is also being explored: do you think this is an interesting path?<\/strong><\/p>\n Efficiency and clean burning technologies have always physical limits. Therefore\u00a0exhaust gas aftertreatment is a mandatory technology<\/strong>\u00a0especially for diesel based energy.\u00a0It is interesting, especially the newest generations of solutions.<\/em><\/p>\n What new technologies is your company working on for yachts and superyachts?<\/strong><\/p>\n We continue to develop\u00a0modern combustion engines<\/strong>\u00a0as we still see this technology as key, diesel today and methanol in the future,\u00a0smart and integrated bridges<\/strong>\u00a0and automation solutions to make yachting more secure and efficient; system solutions out of one hand, like hybrid, pod, automation, following our \u201cbridge to propeller\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0strategy.<\/em><\/p>\n Source: Daily Nautica<\/p>\n<\/div>