The maritime industry needed a breakthrough in decarbonization. It appears that Rolls-Royce delivered. The luxury car manufacturer developed and successfully tested the world’s first high-speed marine engine powered exclusively by methanol. Researchers praise the milestone and consider it a shift towards climate-neutral and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions for the shipping industry.

“This is a genuine world first,” said Dr. Jörg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG. “To date, there is no other high-speed engine in this performance class that runs purely on methanol.”

Methanol presents unique challenges for engine designers compared to traditional diesel. Unlike diesel, this liquid alcohol does not ignite spontaneously, requiring a fundamental overhaul of engineering. Rolls-Royce, in partnership with injection system specialist Woodward L’Orange and the WTZ Roßlau technology and research center, has addressed this by completely redesigning key components.

“We have fundamentally redesigned the combustion process, the turbocharging, and the engine control system – and even adapted our test bench infrastructure,” said Dr. Johannes Kech, Head of Methanol Engine Development in the Power Systems division at Rolls-Royce.

The Benefits of Green Methonal

The methanol engine on the testbench at the Rolls-Royce division Power Systems; Photo: Rolls-Royce

Initial tests confirm the engine is running smoothly. Now, the team is moving into the fine-tuning phase. This joint effort is part of the meOHmare research project. The project aims to develop a comprehensive concept for a CO2-neutral marine engine based on green methanol by the end of 2025.

Rolls-Royce views green methanol as one of the most promising alternative fuels for the maritime sector. Denise Kurtulus, Senior Vice President Global Marine at Rolls-Royce, stressed that the successful test sends “a clear signal: green methanol is a future-oriented fuel – and the technology for it is here.”

The fuel’s appeal stems from its potential for CO2-neutral operation when produced via a power-to-X process using renewable electricity. Furthermore, methanol is easy to store as a liquid, is biodegradable, and produces significantly fewer pollutants than fossil fuels.

Kurtulus added, “For us, methanol is the fuel of the future in shipping – clean, efficient, and climate-friendly.” The single-fuel methanol engine is an attractive solution for operators of ferries, yachts, and supply vessels. However, the industry must now focus on creating the necessary infrastructure to support its widespread use.