Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: DST
Context: Researchers at IIT Kanpur have developed India’s first 100% Dimethyl Ether (DME)-fuelled tractor/vehicle, marking a significant step towards a sustainable alternative fuel-based transport system.
What is Dimethyl Ether?
Dimethyl Ether (DME) is a renewable and clean-burning alternative fuel that can be used in various applications, including transportation. Under normal atmospheric conditions, DME is a colourless gas. It is produced from natural gas, coal, biomass, or renewable sources through a synthesis process.
Uses: It is used extensively in the chemical industry and as a solvent, fuel, and refrigerant (ozone-friendly aerosol propellant to replace CFCs). DME has properties similar to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and can be easily stored and transported.
Several countries, including Japan, the USA, China, Sweden, Denmark, and Korea, already use DME to power vehicles. However, the use of DME in internal combustion engines is relatively unexplored in India.
The research is overheated by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) (under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and is aligned with the ‘Methanol Economy’ program of NITI Ayog.
