Wedoany.com Report on Mar 16th, Scientists at India's CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) have developed a patented technology to convert methanol into dimethyl ether (DME) as an alternative fuel to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), particularly for household cooking, to address energy supply challenges.

The technology uses an indigenous catalyst, operates under mild conditions, and can produce DME at a pressure of about 10 bar, allowing it to be directly filled into conventional LPG cylinders without modifying existing infrastructure. Researchers have validated its feasibility at a pilot scale of 250 kilograms per day and plan to establish a demonstration plant with a capacity of 2.5 tonnes per day within the next 6 to 9 months. They are also exploring collaborations with oil companies and bioenergy firms to accelerate commercialization.

India relies on imports for over 80% of its fossil energy, making LPG prices vulnerable to global fluctuations. DME, as a clean-burning synthetic fuel, can reduce this import dependence. Scientists note that DME emits low levels of soot, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, with thermal efficiency comparable to LPG, making it suitable for cooking and industrial heating. The Bureau of Indian Standards has released the IS 18698:2024 standard, permitting blending up to 20% DME with LPG, with an 8% blend requiring no modification to existing equipment.

In 2024, India imported approximately 21 million tonnes of LPG. Scientists estimate that replacing 8% of LPG consumption with DME could save nearly 95 billion rupees in foreign exchange annually. For instance, under the Ujjwala scheme, replacing 8% of the LPG used by 105 million households would require a daily DME production of about 1,300 tonnes. In the long term, the methanol required for DME could be sourced from Indian coal and biomass, and potentially produced from captured carbon dioxide, supporting carbon utilization strategies. The research is led by Thirumalaiswamy Raja, Chief Scientist in the Catalysis Division at CSIR-NCL. The lab has also developed a prototype burner that can flexibly use LPG and DME mixtures, with efficiency already tested in Bangalore.