Troels Dyhr Pedersen.indd - Solid Mechanics

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7.3 Development in the use of dimethyl ether as a fuel
As oil derived fuels are becoming increasingly harder to exploit and hence more
expensive, alternative fuels are starting to become both economically and politically
attractable. In a future society it is most likely that a variety of sources are used to
produce a variety of fuels for engines. The sources will likely be prioritized such that
those domestically available will be given a primary role in the supply chain.
A prime example of a nation shifting its focus from oil towards its domestic resources is
China, which is undoubtedly the leader within DME production. The wish to avoid
dependence on fuel import has led the country to utilize its coal resources for fuel
production. Coal is now utilized to produce large quantities methanol, ethanol and DME.
As of 2009, the country has capacity to produce more than 7 million tons of DME per
year, a capacity which is expected to be near 15 million tones per year in 2010 [13]. The
current production is used mainly as a supplement to LPG which has similar properties.
The situation in China is therefore that DME is now commonly available in large
quantities. There are a small number of buses in Shanghai that has been converted to
DME and are operating in the city.
In Japan, a few small scale DME plants have been built so far, and a small fleet of trucks
are currently being tested [14, 15 and 16]. The National Traffic Safety and Environmental
Laboratories (NTSEL) have been responsible for converting the trucks and engines. The
government has taken large steps to the protection of the air quality in Tokyo, by
implementing strict regulations for all vehicles. As an example, all diesel trucks operating
within the city limits are required to be fitted with particulate filters. It is therefore likely
that Japan will increase their efforts towards implementing DME as a diesel substitute in
the future. The question remains which resources will be used for the production of
DME, given that Japan does not have coal or natural gas, and thus are forced to import
the feedstock for the production.