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Dimethyl ether (DME) is an alternative to diesel fuel for use in compression-ignition engines with modified fuel systems and offers potential advantages of efficiency improvements and emission reductions. DME can be produced from natural gas (NG) or from renewable feedstocks such as landfill gas (LFG) or renewable natural gas from manure waste streams (MANR) or any other biomass. This study investigates the well-to-wheels (WTW) energy use and emissions of five DME production pathways as compared with those of petroleum gasoline and diesel using the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET®) model developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).

The aim of the project was to demonstrate and evaluate the feasibility of DME (Dimethyl Ether) fuelled buses, through laboratory and field tests. The performance and emission targets of the HD DME engine has been successfully demonstrated and the bus has been converted to accommodate the DME engine and the fuel tank system. Two DME filling stations have been build. Additives for DME lubrication and odor have been selected. A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) has been made under International Energy Agency (IEA) auspices by some of the project participants. The project has added valuable information, to the over all development of DME fueled vehicles. The strong arguments for DME as a major future fuel are briefly covered including production costs, emissions and feed stock diversity.