The Netherlands-headed Dimeta B.V., a global joint venture committed to accelerating the production and use of renewable and recycled carbon Dimethyl Ether (DME), has teamed up with KEW Technology Ltd, a pioneering UK sustainable energy solutions company, to create a first of a kind waste-to-DME plant, through their Circular Fuels Ltd partnership.
Over 200 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are used globally for energy purposes each year, mainly in rural and remote areas.
Renewable and recycled carbon Dimethyl Ether (rDME) is a sustainable liquid gas produced through feedstocks such as non-recyclable wastes and is chemically similar to LPG.
As such rDME can be blended with up to 20 percent and ‘dropped in’ to existing LPG supply chains.
When blended with LPG, low-carbon rDME can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 85 percent, improve air quality, and decarbonize the off-grid sector.
It can also achieve over 100 percent emissions savings when carbon capture is used.
There is an urgent need to mitigate the climate crisis and provide cost-effective energy to the hardest-to-abate sectors, such as off-grid homes and businesses that need it most. By harnessing the potential of Renewable and Recycled Carbon DME we can decarbonize the LPG sector and reduce carbon emissions ensuring a fair energy transition for all, said Frankie Ugboma, Chief Executive at Dimeta.
Circular Fuels plant in the UK
Dimeta is a joint venture between SHV Energy BV and UGI International, two of the world’s largest off-grid energy suppliers, to further the production and use of rDME.
Dimeta is collaborating with KEW Technology to build the first waste-to-DME production plant through its joint venture, Circular Fuels.
The plant will produce over 50,000 tonnes of DME from non-recyclable waste – the equivalent of 25 percent of LPG domestic heating in the UK.
Sustainable waste management and energy provision are paramount challenges in the global fight against climate change. We’re leading the way in scaling up waste-to-energy solutions, addressing both of these critical issues simultaneously as one of the few technology pathways able to deliver negative carbon, said Hans Mansson, Chief Technology Officer at KEW Technology.
The total project investment of more than £150 million will create jobs in the local area, with 250 roles available during construction and more than 50 skilled permanent positions when production is underway, as well as supporting dozens more indirect jobs in the feedstock and fuels supply chain.
Our solution is a vital enabler for communities to manage their waste responsibly, and renewable and recycled carbon DME is proving to be a real game changer as it provides a sustainable and seamless replacement for existing LPG infrastructure in off-grid homes, Hans Mansson said.
Promoted at COP28
The two companies also participated in COP28, where they drove constructive discourses about the critical role of renewable liquid gases in the energy transition and showcased their commitment to sustainable development and innovative solutions for mitigating climate change.
By deploying our technology in local communities we’re helping to reduce emissions from waste collection and disposal and redirecting local waste away from harmful practices like burning or landfill and instead creating a local-based, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels targeting hard-to-abate off-grid, industrial, cooking fuels and transport sectors, ended Hans Mansson.
