On January 13, 2015 NEMWI hosted a Capitol Hill briefing on the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) within the Great Lakes martime transportation system. The briefing featured: the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI) Co-Director Richard Stewart, Ph.D; Amy Ferrell, Vice President of Market Development for America’s Natural Gas Alliance; James Winebrake, Ph.D, Rochester Institute of Technology; and James Corbett, P.E., Ph.D., University of Delaware. The Great Lakes maritime transportation industry is considering shifting to natural gas to reduce emissions and would like to do so without affecting reliability. Since 2011 the GLMRI–funded through the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration and in conjunction with other academic institutions like the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Delaware–has studied the potential impacts, costs, and use of natural gas by the maritime industry within the Great Lakes region. America’s Natural Gas Alliance is an association of natural gas exploration and production companies, and has partnered with the GLMRI to provide industry-specific details. The Great Lakes navigation system delivers over 163 million tons of cargo on vessels, produces 24% of the country’s exports (2009), and provides a unique link for product movement and economic development. Speakers will provide information on:
- The role of the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute in promoting sustainable solutions to transportation challenges;
- Proposed policy affecting the use of natural gas in Great Lakes transportation;
- The involvement of industry and stakeholders in requesting, developing, and testing solutions; and
- The broader impacts of greater use of natural gas as a transportation fuel throughout the nation.
Materials available here.