The advancement, innovation and availability of sustainable marine fuels was the focus of an industry event at the 2023 Miami International Boat Show® in February. Sustainable marine fuels minimize CO2 emissions from recreational boating while maintaining boats’ range and performance. They are compatible with existing recreational boats, requiring no changes to fuel systems or engines.

The recreational boating industry has taken significant strides to reduce CO2 emissions and continues to pursue innovative solutions, including supporting research and introduction of sustainable marine fuels into the marketplace. Since 2000, emissions from marine engines have decreased more than 90% and fuel efficiency has increased more than 40%. Recreational boating emissions account for just 0.7% of U.S. transportation greenhouse gas emissions, compared to cars (58%), commercial trucks and buses (25%) and air (10%).

The three drop-in fuels demonstrated during the Miami event were:

• PurFuels® Ethanol-Free Reformulated Gasoline using Isobutanol (GEVO) and TXCeed corrosion inhibitor: A gasoline/isobutanol blend that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 30% relative to conventional fossil-based gasoline.
• Neste MY Renewable Diesel™: Reduces CO2 emissions by up to 75% relative to conventional fossil-based diesel fuel.
• EcoGen™ Ethanol-free Gasoline with Renewable Content by VP Racing: A partially renewable gasoline that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 30% more than E10 gasoline and does not contain ethanol.

All are expected to remain compatible with existing recreational boats equipped with internal combustion engines. They do not require any changes to the boat fuel system or engine, potentially making widespread consumer adoption possible.