A chemical company in China is starting the production of DME, short for dimethyl ether, to use as an alternative fuel for Beijing’s diesel city buses, according to Pakistan Daily Times. DME is a clean burning alternative for diesel that can be produced from natural gas, coal, or biomass at an attractive price. While DME has generally shown to reduce emissions, it requires fairly significant changes to the engine hardware. DME is a gas at ambient pressures and temperatures, which requires pressurizing of the fuel lines, and has very low lubricity, which is a characteristic critical to proper diesel engine operation. DME seems to be flying under the radar in North America, but getting significant attention in China, Japan, and Europe.

[Source: Pakistan Daily Times]