September 3, 2014 – Southern California’s Oberon Fuels Inc. (Oberon) announced that the U.S. EPA approved its dimethyl ether (DME) as a renewable identification number (RIN) eligible product under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). EPA determined that compared to baseline diesel fuel, the biogas-based DME produced by Oberon lead to in an estimated 68% reduction in greenhouse gases.
Obern converts natural gas and biogas from various waste streams (i.e. wastewater, landfills, and animal and food waste) to commodities such as DME. Fuel-grade DME is currently being used by Volvo Trucks in some of its commercial heavy-duty trucks.
DME is a clean-burning fuel with diesel-like performance and propane-like handling properties. Due to the fuel’s clean-burning properties no diesel particulate filter is required. The fuel is stored in the vehicle similar to propane, with a tank pressure of about 75 psi. The Oberon Fuels website has additional information on how they process DME and vehicle requirements.
The full article can be read here.
