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Environment

Shipping companies are testing biofuel made from cashew nut shells

Cashew nut shells are a source of low-emissions biofuel, which is being tested in several ships, but it is unlikely there will be enough to make much of a dent in the industry’s emissions

By James Dinneen

17 June 2024

Cashew nut shells contain an acid that can be made into biofuel

Janet Horton/Alamy Stock Photo

As the shipping industry hunts for ways to slash greenhouse gas emissions, companies are experimenting with cleaner fuels made from cashew shells and other types of biomass to power their vessels. But it is unlikely there will be enough of such biofuels to make much difference for an industry that consumes hundreds of millions of tonnes of fossil fuels each year.

“The shipping industry has been on this walk through the desert just trying to find stuff that works in their existing infrastructure,” says …

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