RSE has published a study in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering focusing on the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to battery-based ship electrification, contributing to clarifying the main challenges and opportunities associated with the environmental assessment of these solutions.
The research, developed within the framework of the European V-ACCESS project, is positioned within the broader context of EU maritime transport decarbonisation policies and provides a methodological review of LCA applications in the scientific literature.
The results highlight that battery-based electrification solutions offer significant potential for reducing climate-change impacts, particularly when the electricity supply is based on a low greenhouse-gas emission mix.
At the same time, the existing literature is characterised by marked methodological heterogeneity and limited comparability of results, with a predominant focus on short-route ferries compared to other vessel types.
Important trade-offs related to resource use and toxicity also emerge, highlighting the need to adopt a comprehensive life cycle perspective.
The article is available at the following link.