Waste-to-biofuels company Enerkem produces bio-DME
11 September 2018
Waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer Enerkem has successfully produced a clean, renewable bio-dimethyl ether (Bio-DME), a by-product of biomethanol, that could replace the use of diesel fuel in the transportation sector.
Using the company’s proprietary thermochemical technology, its innovation group has tested and validated the production of fuel-grade bio-DME made from unrecoverable carbon-rich municipal solid waste. More than 1,000 hours of operations at its Innovation Centre in Westbury, Quebec have been completed.
Enerkem is currently focused on the commercial production of biomethanol and advanced ethanol as sustainable biofuels replacing gasoline; however, this new development has the potential to expand the company’s biofuels business for the transportation sector.
Diesel fuels are three times more polluting than a waste-derived DME-based fuel.
—Dr. Stéphane Marie-Rose, Director of Enerkem's Innovation Centre in Westbury
Bio-DME offers a 20% higher cetane rating on average than diesel or bio-diesel fuels. Moreover, DME combustion does not produce sulfur oxide (SOx) or fine particles, and it contributes to lower emissions from other harmful residual pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) that are mainly produced from the combustion of fossil-based fuels.
Enerkem intends to further develop and optimize this latest innovation while evaluating its potential commercial applications.
DME has applications, the problem is transporting the fuel.
The waste to DME may not be located close to fueling yards.
It could be better to make bio methane, put it in the pipes and make the DME where used.
Posted by: SJC | 11 September 2018 at 09:29 AM
That could be a strong possibility but major usable waste producers (mid-large cities) have to be equipped with Enerkem (or similar) facilities (like Calgary, Alberta).
The end products could be (mostly) sold/used locally?
Waste-to gas-liquid-electricity is a win-win solution but people devoted to lower cost will resist.
Posted by: HarveyD | 11 September 2018 at 10:30 AM
It is fine if you are running DME in trash trucks, they are at the same location. They could haul DME, it is liquid at low pressure, they haul diesel fuel now. It just seems if we want wide spread use, we have to make it easy.
Posted by: SJC | 11 September 2018 at 02:08 PM
Oberon has a methane to DME rig that can be placed at point of use.
http://oberonfuels.com
Posted by: SJC | 11 September 2018 at 02:10 PM