The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technology Office (VTO) has allocated more than US$4 million to test new applications of dimethyl ether (DME) as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels. Oberon Fuels is the first company in the United States to produce renewable dimethyl ether (rDME) and is a supporting partner.

University of Wisconsin-Madison “Efficiency of Propane Dimethyl Ether Mixture Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion”

WM International Engineering Co., Ltd., located in Darien, Illinois, participated in a project called "High-pressure rapid response direct injection system for liquefied gas fuel used in light engines"

The new round of financing for DME builds on its incentives in June 2021 and continues to validate renewable DME as a beneficial molecule for decarbonizing transportation. Oberon Fuels creates value from waste resources, creates family wage jobs in rural areas, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions through our rDME. We are honored to work with the winners of the US Department of Energy awards. -Dr. Rebecca Boudreaux, President and CEO of Oberon Fuels

The funds are provided through the "Announcement of Funding Opportunities for Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment of Low-Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Technology" for research, development and verification of technologies that use DME to improve the efficiency of direct injection engines. The partners will use the funds to develop new technologies to achieve high-efficiency engine operation with close to zero emissions.

Renewable dimethyl ether can significantly reduce emissions and carbon intensity when used in place of traditional fuels in the following three applications:

As a mixture of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, or propane);

As a diesel substitute for compression ignition engines; and

As an energy-intensive, cost-effective way to transport and store renewable hydrogen.

Oberon Fuels has developed a proprietary skid-mounted small-scale production unit that converts methane and carbon dioxide from various raw materials (such as biogas from dairy manure and food waste) into dimethyl ether. This small-scale process circumvents the financial, infrastructure, and licensing challenges faced by large projects. The Oberon plant has the capacity to produce 10,000 gallons of DME per day to serve the regional fuel market.

According to calculations by the California Department of Air Resources, when the Oberon process is used, the estimated carbon intensity (CI) of rDME based on dairy biogas is -278, while the CI of ultra-low sulfur diesel is about 100 gCO2e/MJ wood.

Renewable dimethyl ether used as transportation fuel can decarbonize the transportation sector while greatly reducing emissions of particulate matter, greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

Oberon Fuels was established in 2010 to provide innovative energy solutions to reduce emissions, waste and carbon impact. It is currently the only company that commercially produces renewable dimethyl ether. In addition to clean emissions, rDME from the Oberon Fuels process creates economic opportunities and employment opportunities for the rural economy by linking waste materials with multiple renewable fuel markets.

Published on November 8, 2021 in DME, Engines, Fuel | Permalink | Comments (0)

The comment corresponding to this item has been closed.