New isotopic tracer for biofuels hailed a success by GoodFuels

GoodFuels has announced the results of a new partnership with global certification organisation Control Union and France’s IDS Group to test the effectiveness of a new isotopic tracer for biofuels.
A successful pilot, conducted during a recent delivery of 500 tonnes of biofuel to the Norden-owned tanker Nord Gardenia, has proven the effectiveness of the tracer technology in real-life applications.
The partnership, which commenced earlier this year, has seen the companies collaborate to create the new tracer, which can be added to marine fuels as a unique ‘fingerprint’ and verification tool.
The isotopic tracer stays within the fuel throughout the entire downstream of fuel delivery. It then can be tracked and traced by inspectors to verify that a fuel product has not been diluted or tampered at any stage in the supply chain.
The trial has demonstrated that the tracer does not adversely impact the physical properties, quality and stability of the biofuel, and that tracing and testing activities could be performed without any impact on bunker operations.
The pilot also showed that the isotopic tracer can successfully measure for fuel dilution, when biofuels are used in a blend, for example.
The tracer can be applied at any stage in the supply chain and is based on natural elements so as not to compromise the sustainability of the biofuel product. It has been specifically designed to trace fuels at different granularity levels, making it suitable to be used within fuel products whether they are 100% biofuel or part of a blend with conventional marine fuels.
It can also be used to support carbon calculations and provide evidence for carbon pricing and tax reductions, giving shipowners and operators assurance on the amount and quality of biofuel they are deploying in their pursuit of sustainable shipping.