News
Headlines, reporting and media features from around the world
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16 February 2023
NextChem, Myechemical and Dimeta Explore Production of DME from Waste
NextChem and its subsidiary MyRechemical (Maire Tecnimont Group) have signed an agreement with Dimeta to explore new opportunities to develop plants for the production of renewable and recycled carbon DME from waste.
7 February 2023
First Waste-to-DME Plant in the UK Moves One Step Closer to Construction
Circular Fuels Ltd, the joint venture between Dimeta and Kew Technology, has submitted a formal planning application for its first >£150 million waste-to-DME production plant at Teesworks, set to produce >50,000 tons per year of renewable and recycled carbon DME.
22 December 2022
Flogas Sweden Delivers First Renewable DME
Björneborg Steel will be the world's first freeform forge to run a completely fossil-free production, thanks in part to renewable DME delivered by Flogas.
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19 December 2022
Iberdrola Announces €1.1 Billion Investment in Bell Bay Powerfuels Project
Iberdrola will partner with developer ABEL Energy on construction of the proposed green hydrogen, green methanol and renewable DME production project in Australia. With a 100 MW electrolyzer unit and a planned capacity of 200,000 TPY of green methanol in its first phase, the project will be one of the largest such developments in the world.
28 October 2022
Dimeta and Enerkem to Collaborate on Renewable DME
The new collaboration will include exploration of the development of large-scale (>150,000 KT/year) renewable DME plants in Europe and North America, with a focus on the use of non-recyclable waste and maximizing CO2 recycling.
14 September 2022
Stanadyne Announces Launch of Fuel Injector for DME, CNG and Hydrogen
The global fuel system manufacturer unveiled its new fuel alternative fuel injector at the Detroit Motor Show. "Demand for gaseous fuel injection is expected to increase significantly on the path to net zero, driven by the transport market" said Stanadyne CEO John Pinson.
31 May 2022
Project Adelante to Deploy Renewable DME-Powered Fuel Cells on Construction Vehicles
Calor is partnering with global fuel cell developer Adelan on a "Red Diesel Replacement" project awarded more than £170,000 by the UK government that will see fuel cells powered by Calor Futuria DME demonstrated in electrified construction vehicles such as cherry pickers.
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25 May 2022
SHV Energy Launches Futuria DME
SHV Energy's Futuria sustainable fuels portfolio includes Futuria DME, the introduction of which is a key step in the company's journey to achieve its ambition to provide 100% renewably and sustainably sourced energy by 2040.
17 May 2022
First Industrial-Scale Renewable DME Plant Location Announced
Dimeta today announced the location of its first industrial-scale renewable DME plant at Teesworks in the United Kingdom, a major step forward on its commitment to bring renewable DME to Europe and the United States in 2024.
13 May 2022
New MoU Signed for Indonesian DME Project
Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Air Products and Chemicals CEO Seifi Ghasemi for a US $15 billion investment in a downstream industry including gasification of domestic feedstocks for production of DME.
27 April 2022
Suburban Propane Announces Commercial Launch of Propane+rDME
The first commercially available blend of propane and rDME was launched at the company's facility in California. Combining traditional or renewable propane with rDME produced by Oberon Fuels, the lower carbon intensity fuel can be used as a drop-in replacement for propane engines in both on- and off-road applications.
14 February 2022
Construction Begins on Bio Friends' Second DME Plant
Ground was broken in a ceremony today for South Korean DME manufacturer Bio Friends' 2nd DME Plant, scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2023. With a capacity of 10,000 TPY of DME the plant will be Korea's largest, and will use methanol produced using captured CO2 from the cement industry for the production of high value recycled carbon DME.
24 January 2022
Major Indonesian DME Project Breaks Ground
Indonesian President Joko Widodo presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of a US $2.1 billion project for the production of DME in South Sumatra. The project, a collaborative venture between Pertamina, Air Products and Chemicals and Bukit Asam, is one of six new major energy investments designated a “national strategic project”.
18 January 2022
Report: rDME a “Clear Option” for Decarbonising LPG in New Zealand
A report by international energy and engineering consultancy Worley finds that renewable DME provides “a clear option for decarbonising” the LPG sector in New Zealand, according to the LPG Association of New Zealand (GASNZ). The report, Exploring Short Term Renewable LPG/DME Production for NZ, is the second in a two-stage research project by Worley commissioned by the LPGA and Gas NZ.
10 January 2022
Bio Friends Leads DME, Renewable DME & DME-H2 Projects in Asia
Plans announced by South Korean DME manufacturer Bio Friends include leadership of a US$30 million national project for the production of low-carbon fuels using CO2 captured from cement industry emissions, and a US$3.3 million project utilizing the company’s DME-H2 reformer for heating and power generation, both the first such projects in the region.
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6 December 2021
Collaboration to Evaluate rDME+LPG Blends in Latin America Announced
Three leaders in their respective industries announce plans to evaluate and validate the material compatibility, safety, and performance attributes of a rDME-LPG blend for use in residential and commercial heating and cooking applications in Latin America.
4 November 2021
US Department of Energy Awards Funding for DME Projects to Decarbonize Transport
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office has awarded more than $4 million in funding to test novel applications of DME as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels in transport.
24 June 2021
US Department of Energy Funds rDME-to-Renewable Hydrogen Project
Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oberon Fuels secure funding for an innovative project that would open up new feedstocks for cost-effective renewable hydrogen production.
10 June 2021
First Commercial rDME Production Begins in the United States
Oberon Fuels has announced that production of rDME has commenced at its recently upgraded facility in California, representing both the first commercial production of rDME in the US and the only current such production in the world.
3 June 2021
New Joint Venture to Develop Renewable DME Production Plants
SHV Energy and KEW Technology have announced plans for a joint venture and multimillion GBP investment in a new company, Circular Fuels Ltd., to develop production plants converting renewable and recycled carbon feedstock into DME.
18 May 2021
Joint Venture Launched to Advance Production and Use of Renewable DME
Two of the world's largest LPG companies have announced plans to enable and support developments for investment in renewable DME production capacity, infrastructure, regulations and standards.
19 April 2021
Primagas to Build and Operate First Renewable DME Fuel Station in Germany
SHV Energy and Primagas have confirmed their support as logistics partners providing supply and delivery of 100% renewable DME for two projects in Germany.
1 March 2021
Ford Leads North American Consortium Demonstrating Renewable Fuels for Diesel Engines
A consortium involving global industry members and major research institutions (including Enerkem, Univ. of Toronto and Univ. of Windsor) has revealed its work in North America on development of renewable, high-energy density drop-in automotive fuels produced from various renewable feedstocks including municipal solid waste.
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25 January 2021
FPT Industrial Leads New DME Heavy-Duty Engine Project
Global powertrain manufacturer FPT Industrial has announced that it will lead a project looking at DME's use as a diesel alternative in the industrial goods sector.
22 January 2021
DME Plans Progress in Indonesia
The Indonesian government has announced the preparation of incentives to promote development of DME production in the country, in a move to reduce dependence on LPG imports.
19 January 2021
Commercial Operations Commence at First New Large-Scale DME Plant in the Americas
Caribbean Gas Chemical's plant, with an annual production capacity of one million tons of methanol and 20,000 tons of DME, is the first downstream plant in the country producing and utilizing methanol as a raw material.
24 September 2020
California Governor Signs Bill Removing Barrier to Fleet Adoption of DME
A bill passed unanimously by the California Legislature and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom today defines the tax rate for DME used as either a diesel replacement or blended with propane, and how it would be sold at retail to consumers.
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17 September 2020
Suburban Propane Announces Deal to Acquire Stake in Oberon Fuels; Additional Investments in Renewable DME
NYSE-listed Suburban Propane today announced a deal to purchase a 39% stake in Oberon Fuels, the first producer of fuel-grade DME in North America, and commited to provide additional funding to support continued development efforts for commercialization of a renewable DME / propane blended product.
15 May 2020
Air Products and Topsoe Announce Collaboration on Large-Scale DME Plants
The two global leaders announced the signing of a global Alliance Agreement to develop potential projects and combine expertise on large-scale ammonia, methanol and/or DME plants, providing Air Products access to Topsoe's technology licenses and supply of certain products and services for such plants to be built, owned and operated by Air Products.
13 June 2019
Oberon Fuels Awarded Grant by California for First-Ever rDME Production in the US
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has awarded a $2.9 million grant to Oberon Fuels for a multi-phase project to produce the first renewable DME (rDME) in the United States. Oberon will upgrade its existing DME pilot facility and will work with commercial partners to assess the technical feasibility and economics of rDME production and fueling infrastructure development.
24 May 2019
Ford DME Passenger Car Demonstrator and Project Results Revealed
Results of the 3 year xME Diesel Project presented to the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and DME Sustainable Mobility Workshop delegates in Berlin demonstrate the significant reductions in CO2 and criteria emissions achieved with DME in conventional CI engines. The events included the display and demonstration of the world's first OEM-built DME passenger car, a 1.5 liter Ford Mondeo/Fusion.
16 January 2019
Air Products and Chemicals, Pertamina and Bukit Asam Announce DME Joint Venture
Indonesian state-owned energy companies Pertamina and Bukit Asam have signed an agreement with Air Products and Chemicals for the establishment of a joint venture enabling the large-scale production of fuel-grade DME for domestic applications in the country.
10 January 2019
BASF and Linde Announce Direct CO2-to-DME Process Commercialization Plans
BASF Board Chairman and Chief Technology Officer Martin Brudermüller outlined four projects with which the company is moving forward to enable significant reductions in CO2 emissions, including the scale-up and commercialization of a novel one-step DME production route developed in collaboration with Linde.
19 March 2018
Conversion System Opens Pathway to Large-Scale Vehicle Demonstrations
Revealed at a DME industry workshop hosted at Ford’s European Research and Innovation Center, the development of DME conversion systems by global alternative fuel equipment manufacturer Westport Fuel Systems subsidiary Prins Alternative Fuel Systems promises to open the door to large-scale demonstrations of light-, medium- and heavy-duty DME vehicles.
9 November 2017
Alberta Funds Heavy-Duty DME Vehicle Industry Research Partnership
A partnership involving the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Mack Trucks, Westcan Bulk Transport and Oberon Fuels has announced a project supported by funding from Alberta's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to develop and demonstrate technology for use in the fuel system of heavy-duty DME trucks.
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2 October 2017
New York City Reports on First Customer Demonstration of DME-Powered Mack Truck
The New York City Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) evaluation of a heavy-duty DME vehicle in its fleet has provided an important customer assessment of real-world DME vehicle performance to a range of stakeholders involved in the introduction of DME as an ultra-low emission, low-carbon fuel.
28 October 2015
DME Heavy-Duty Engine Recieves Certification in China
A DME heavy-duty vehicle demonstration project consortium has received certification from the government of Shanghai for a DME fueled diesel engine satisfying Euro 6 emission standards. The engine, a modified 6 liter 135 kW WP6 common rail engine from Weichai Power, is being demonstrated on short-haul street sweeper and refuse trucks.
11 September 2015
Ford Leads Project to Develop First DME Fueled Production Passenger Car
Ford has announced that it will lead a project co-funded by the German government to develop and test the world’s first production passenger car to run on DME. The 3 year, €3.5 million project involves international collaboration by Ford’s European Research & Innovation Center with entities including DENSO, Oberon Fuels, IAV Automotive Engineering and the FVV.
15 July 2015
Washington Becomes First US State to Introduce DME Vehicle Tax Incentives
Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed into law a transportation investment package providing financial incentives for the purchase of commercial vehicles using a “clean alternative fuel”, and specifying dimethyl ether as meeting this definition along with methane, natural gas, LNG, CNG, propane, hydrogen, and electricity.
15 May 2015
International Specification for DME Fuel Published
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published a standard, ISO 16861:2015 | Specifications of dimethyl ether (DME), specifying the characteristics of DME used as fuel. ISO 16861 is another important milestone for DME's use in a range of automotive, power, and heating applications.
30 March 2015
"DME Could Really Be a Game Changer" - Volvo CEO Olof Persson
In a keynote presentation at the Mid-America Trucking Show this week Volvo Group CEO Olof Persson highlighted the "tremendous promise" that Volvo sees in DME as an alternative fuel, particularly for long haul heavy-duty trucking. "Converting natural gas to DME is an innovative way to address many of the storage and fueling challenges otherwise presented by natural gas - particularly LNG - as a heavy truck fuel."
26 February 2015
DME Approved for Legal Use as a Vehicle Fuel in California
California has approved DME’s use as a vehicle fuel, allowing its retail sale throughout the state. The regulation, Specifications for Dimethyl Ether Used in Compression Ignition Engines, was approved and became effective this year. California enacted the first low-carbon fuel standard in the world in 2007, and maintains a significant leadership role in this area as the only US state empowered to set its own vehicle emission standards.
3 September 2014
DME Becomes First Biogas-Based Fuel Approved under Renewable Fuel Standard
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that DME produced from biogas and other renewable sources by Oberon Fuels qualifies for inclusion under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), eligible under the Clean Air Act for high value cellulosic biofuel and advanced biofuel renewable identification numbers (RINs) under the RFS.
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3 February 2014
ASTM Issues Specification for DME Fuel
ASTM D7901 (Standard Specification for Dimethyl Ether for Fuel Purposes) covers DME for use as a fuel in engines specifically designed or modified for DME, and for blending with LPG. The specification marks a major milestone for DME’s introduction as a fuel, providing fuel producers, engine and appliance manufacturers, infrastructure developers and others with important benchmarks on which to base their work.
10 October 2013
Australia and India Launch DME Collaboration
Australia’s CSIRO and its equivalent in India, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have launched a three-year, AUD $6 million collaboration focused on improving process technology for the production of DME. The project will also draw on the expertise of Bharat Petroleum and the Indian Institute of Technology.
6 September 2013
Shanghai to Expand DME Transportation Applications to Reduce Pollution
Shanghai has announced a plan to test the use DME in heavy-duty trucks, buses and taxis to help reduce vehicle emissions, in particular the fine particulate ("PM 2.5") that present a number of health risks to humans.
6 June 2013
Oberon Fuels Launches First Fuel-Grade DME Production in North America
Oberon Fuels announced that their modular DME production units will go online this month, a milestone launching the first fuel-grade DME production in North America. Oberon’s first plant, with a capacity of 4,500 gallons per day, will commence production at their new facility in Brawley, California.
