India, the world's second-largest LPG importer, is heavily impacted by the ongoing West Asia conflict disrupting global energy supply. The LPG supply hit has led to people switching to alternate cooking methods, while the government maintains efforts to maintain enough supply.
A report by EY-Parthenon and New Era Cleantech Solution Ltd suggests India can reduce LPG imports by 6.3 million tonnes a year by blending LPG with 20% dimethyl ether (DME), produced from coal and gasification.
DME is a sustainable and eco-friendly fuel described by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as a synthetically produced alternative fuel with comparable calorific value to traditional fuels.
It can be directly used in specially designed engines and exhibits low emission and particulate matter. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified standards permitting up to 20% DMG-LPG blending in India.
A clear blending policy will be key to unlocking investments and scaling domestic DME production, said Balasaheb Darade, MD of New Era Cleantech.
