Effective utilization of remote coal through dimethyl ether synthesis

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a clean and sustainable alternative fuel that can be produced from natural gas, coal or other organic resources through syngas. The properties of DME are suitable for the production of power generation fuel, transportation fuel, home fuel and chemicals. Production of DME fuel from unutilized natural gas or coal resources in remote areas will contribute in solving the energy-environment dilemma. An innovative process of direct synthesis of DME from syngas in a slurry bed has been developed with a bench plant (50 kg/day). Further development of the project using a pilot scale plant (5 t/day) commenced in 1997 with governmental support. The feasibility study of the International Development Engineering Society of Japan indicates that the production cost of DME is competitive to conventional fuel price, and the cost of electricity generation using DME is the same as that of a coal-fired power station with a much lower environmental load. The most realistic scenario for the introduction of DME fuel in Asia in the early 21st century is its promotion as a thermal power plant fuel in Japan as a clean motor vehicle fuel in large cities of Asia, and as a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas or kerosene in Asia. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.