Sustainable Fuel Innovation Through Green Chemistry
Curve Energy’s proprietary technology transforms High Sulfur Fuel Oil (HSFO) into IMO 2020-compliant Very Low Sulfur Oil (VLSFO), reducing emissions while delivering a scalable, cost-effective alternative to conventional desulfurization.
Maritime Trade & Environmental Impact
Maritime shipping powers 90% of global trade, making it a critical component of the global economy. However, the industry is also a major contributor to air pollution, emitting sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), CO₂, and particulate matter, which negatively impact air quality, marine ecosystems, and public health.
The widespread use of Heavy Fuel Oil (HSFO) in shipping has long been associated with high emissions and environmental risks. Regulations like IMO 2020 have been introduced to mitigate this impact, but the industry continues to struggle with finding scalable, cost-effective solutions that align with global sustainability goals.
As environmental regulations become stricter, the maritime sector is under increasing pressure to adopt cleaner, more compliant fuel alternatives. Curve Energy’s green chemistry-based desulfurization technology provides a sustainable, commercially viable solution to help the industry meet regulatory requirements while maintaining operational efficiency and profitability
Regulatory Response - IMO 2020 & Beyond
On January 1, 2020, Marpol Annex VI, known as IMO 2020, came into force, reducing the allowable sulfur content in marine fuels from 3.5% to 0.5%. This regulation was implemented to reduce air pollution, protect marine ecosystems, and improve global sustainability standards in the shipping industry.
While IMO 2020 was a major step toward emissions reduction, additional carbon pricing regulations and stricter NOx limits are expected, further increasing compliance costs for operators. The industry faces growing pressure to adopt cleaner fuel solutions that are both economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
Curve Energy’s proprietary green chemistry technology provides a long-term, regulatory-compliant solution, ensuring sulfur, NOx, and vanadium removal while maintaining cost efficiency and operational stability for the maritime and refining industries.
To drive the shipping industry towards a greener, more sustainable future by providing innovative, economically viable, and environmentally friendly fuel solutions.
At Curve Energy, we deliver innovative fuel solutions that benefit our clients, the environment, and future generations. By combining breakthrough technology with a deep understanding of industry needs, we are helping to shape a cleaner, more sustainable maritime sector.
OUR MISSION IS CLEAR
Despite having years to prepare, the industry failed to develop solutions that fully comply with IMO 2020. Instead, it has relied on temporary fixes that create significant challenges for logistics, refineries, and ports. These solutions come with high regulatory risks, and it is only a matter of time before they are no longer permitted, as they fail to meet the long-term sustainability and economic viability required by the industry.
Maritime Trade & Environmental Impact
Scrubbers, once seen as a workaround, have already been banned in multiple regions due to their harmful wash-water discharge into the ocean.
Blended fuels (VLSFO) are unstable, costly, and fail to address NOx and vanadium emissions, making them unsustainable for long-term use.
Hydrogen-based desulfurization (HDS) is energy-intensive, carbon-heavy, and economically impractical for widespread adoption.
These short-term solutions are not aligned with the goals of IMO 2020 and the broader mandate of the IMO, which prioritizes the protection of the environment, oceans, and sustainable global trade. The maritime industry needs a commercially viable, scalable, and future-proof alternative—one that is stable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible.
Curve Energy’s proprietary technology transforms High Sulfur Fuel Oil (HSFO) into IMO 2020-compliant fuel, reducing emissions while delivering a scalable, cost-effective alternative to conventional desulfurization.
The Market & Opportunity
The global bunker fuel market consumes over 250 million metric tons annually, valued at $150 billion in 2024, and is projected to grow at a 4.3% CAGR. This growth is primarily driven by expanding global trade and increasing energy demand in the maritime sector.
At the same time, stricter emissions regulations and the push for sustainable fuel alternatives are reshaping the industry. The serviceable market for Curve Energy’s technology was 165 million metric tons last year, with expectations for further expansion as regulatory pressures increase and the industry seeks more stable, cost-effective compliance solutions.
With IMO 2020 enforcement and upcoming carbon pricing mechanisms, the demand for scalable, commercially viable desulfurization technology continues to rise. Curve Energy is positioned to capture market share by offering a low-cost, sustainable alternative that ensures regulatory compliance while improving economic viability for refiners, bunker hubs, and shipping operators.
Existing Solutions & Their Problems
Blended Fuels (VLSFO): High Costs, Unstable, and Incomplete Solution
Blended fuels, such as Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), were introduced to meet IMO 2020 sulfur limits, but they fail to address NOx and vanadium emissions. These fuels are chemically unstable, prone to incompatibilities, sludge formation, and operational issues for vessels. Additionally, VLSFO production costs remain high, forcing refineries and operators to absorb increased fuel expenses without providing a long-term sustainable solution.
Scrubbers: Shifting Pollution from Air to Ocean
Scrubbers were introduced as an alternative to switching fuels, allowing ships to continue using High Sulfur Fuel Oil (HSFO) by "cleaning" emissions. However, open-loop scrubbers discharge sulfur and other pollutants directly into the ocean, transferring pollution from the air to marine ecosystems. This practice has led to growing regulatory restrictions, with multiple regions and ports already banning scrubbers due to their negative environmental impact. Scrubbers also require high upfront investment ($2M–$8M per ship) and ongoing maintenance, making them an unsustainable long-term solution.
Hydrogen-Based Desulfurization (HDS): High Cost and Carbon-Intensive
Traditional Hydrogen-Based Desulfurization (HDS) is an energy-intensive process that requires extreme temperatures (500°C) and pressures (120 ATM), making it economically unviable for maritime fuel treatment. The process is also highly carbon-intensive, producing up to 14 metric tons of CO₂ for every 1 metric ton of hydrogen required. Additionally, HDS fails to eliminate NOx and vanadium emissions, further increasing regulatory and environmental concerns.
Curve Energy’s Unique Solution
Curve Energy’s patented desulfurization process selectively removes sulfur (including thiophenes), nitrogen, and vanadium from Heavy Fuel Oil (HSFO), upgrading it to Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) under near-ambient conditions. Unlike existing solutions, it eliminates the need for carbon-intensive SMR hydrogen desulfurization, blended fuels, and scrubbers, providing a cost-effective and sustainable alternative.
The process produces IMO 2020-compliant, stable fuel with a low carbon footprint and effective NOx removal, ensuring compliance with current and potential future emissions regulations without generating harmful byproducts or wash-water pollution. Its closed-loop system guarantees a high yield rate, and the thiophenes-enriched bitumen byproduct serves as an additional revenue stream.
Designed for scalability and seamless deployment, Curve Energy’s Tank-to-Tank System operates with minimal infrastructure adjustments, allowing implementation at ports, terminals, and refineries without requiring major capital investment. The process also enhances operational efficiency and cost savings, making it a viable long-term solution for the maritime and refining industries.
Competitive Advantage
Curve Energy’s desulfurization technology goes beyond compliance, offering a stable, cost-effective, and long-term solution to the industry's fuel challenges. While existing alternatives struggle with high costs, regulatory risks, and environmental concerns, Curve Energy provides a low-energy, zero-waste process that ensures consistent fuel quality and operational efficiency.
Unlike scrubbers and blended fuels, which come with enforcement challenges and regional bans, Curve Energy’s Tank-to-Tank System enables seamless deployment with minimal infrastructure investment. Its ability to capture the full HSFO–VLSFO price differential while producing a secondary revenue stream from bitumen byproducts gives refiners, ports, and shipping operators a clear financial advantage.
By integrating closed-loop processing and NOx removal, Curve Energy ensures compliance with current and future emissions regulations, positioning itself as a commercially viable and scalable alternative for the industry’s evolving needs.
Market Strategy
Curve Energy is actively working toward commercial-scale deployment by collaborating with key industry players, including bunker hubs, ports, and refineries. The company is in advanced discussions for Joint Ventures and strategic partnerships to accelerate market entry and scale operations efficiently.
The Tank-to-Tank System allows for flexible implementation at ports, terminals, and refineries, minimizing capital investment while enabling rapid adoption. By positioning itself as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative, Curve Energy is targeting early adopters in high-traffic maritime hubs where compliance costs and environmental concerns are driving demand for viable solutions.
With an industry-wide shift toward stricter emissions regulations and carbon pricing, Curve Energy is strategically positioned to meet the growing demand for compliant fuel solutions while creating sustainable long-term value for stakeholders.
Revenue Streams
Curve Energy’s initial revenue model is built around the HSFO-to-VLSFO market, capturing economic value through fuel sales, byproducts, and licensing agreements. This does not yet include potential revenues from future market opportunities beyond maritime fuels.
Desulfurized Fuel Sales – Capturing the HSFO–VLSFO price differential, providing a stable and profitable revenue stream.
Licensing & Joint Ventures – Monetizing proprietary green chemistry technology through partnerships with refineries, ports, and bunker hubs.
Bitumen Byproduct Sales – Generating additional revenue from thiophenes-enriched bitumen, a high-value material used in road construction and industrial applications
As the industry transitions toward more stringent environmental regulations, Curve Energy’s revenue potential is expected to grow, with future market opportunities expanding beyond the maritime sector
Financial & Growth Projections
Curve Energy’s financial model is built on strong revenue potential within the HSFO-to-VLSFO market, with additional growth anticipated as cost efficiencies improve and market adoption expands.
The company projects increasing Gross and Net Revenue as economies of scale, operational efficiencies, and technology refinements drive processing costs down from $50/MT to approximately $30/MT. This projection is based on conservative market assumptions, excluding potential increases in the HSFO-VLSFO price spread, Joint Ventures, licensing revenue, and expansion into future markets.
With the first commercial-scale plant planned for deployment, Curve Energy is positioned for significant financial growth, supported by rising regulatory pressures, increasing demand for compliant fuels, and carbon cost mitigation incentives.
AI-Driven Refinery Optimization
By integrating the latest advancements in AI and technology, Curve Energy continues to push the boundaries of innovation, just as it has with Green Chemistry in desulfurization.
Curve Energy is developing AI-powered refinery optimization through Curve Data Reach™ and Curve Pre-Wash™, aimed at enhancing efficiency, emissions reduction, and cost savings in fuel processing. These AI-driven systems are designed to integrate with digitized refineries, supplementing Hybrid AI capabilities like Imubit’s Optimizing Brain™ to improve refinery feedstock management.
By leveraging advanced data-driven modeling, Curve Data Reach™ is being developed to optimize the selection and combination of Ionic Green Chemistry Extractants, ensuring the most cost-effective and operationally efficient pre-wash removal of sulfur and nitrogen contaminants. This will enable refineries to maximize compliant fuel output with reduced energy consumption, aligning with industry-wide sustainability goals.
Curve Energy’s AI-driven approach is expected to position the company within the growing digital transformation of the refining industry, creating new opportunities for efficiency improvements, emissions reductions, and potential AI-based licensing revenue.
Future-Ready & Expanding Markets
Curve Energy’s modular and scalable technology is designed to meet evolving emissions regulations while offering long-term economic and environmental benefits. As regulatory frameworks continue to tighten, particularly regarding NOx and carbon emissions, industries will require cost-effective, sustainable solutions that go beyond IMO 2020 compliance.
Beyond maritime fuels, Curve Energy’s green chemistry-based process has the potential to expand into broader refining, industrial fuel, and petrochemical markets. Its ability to remove sulfur, nitrogen, and vanadium efficiently positions the company for future market growth, aligning with global sustainability initiatives and the energy transition.
By leveraging its proprietary desulfurization technology and AI-driven refinery optimization, Curve Energy is preparing for opportunities in new sectors, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and regulatory compliance while providing economic advantages for industry stakeholders.
From Vision to Commercialization
