LEIDEN, The Netherlands and MONTREAL, July 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Enerkem, the world’s first company to produce biomethanol from mixed waste on a commercial scale, and Dimeta, a joint venture between two of the largest off-grid energy providers, have announced that they are initiating feasibility studies for the development of two large-scale projects that will convert waste into renewable and recycled dimethyl carbon ether (DME).
DME is a clean-burning fuel that can support decarbonization of the off-grid energy sector, including heating, cooking, transportation, and industrial applications. Since DME is chemically similar to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), it can be blended with up to 20% of it and added to existing LPG supply chains, providing a perfect path to reduce emissions from the more than 200 million tons of LPG used for energy each year around the world.
The projects are expected to be located in northwestern Europe and the Gulf Coast of the United States, with each project expected to produce approximately 165,000 tons of renewable and recycled carbon DME per year from mixed residual waste. The impact of the DME produced from the two projects combined would be the equivalent of a significant reduction in the carbon footprint of over a million LPG-heated homes, when blended with LPG.
In recent months, Dimeta and Enerkem have successfully completed pre-feasibility studies for these projects and are now moving into the feasibility phase, with the goal of starting front-end engineering and design (FEED) next year.
In addition to its operational demonstration-scale commercial facility in Alberta, Canada, Enerkem is currently involved in the development and construction of new commercial-scale waste-to-methanol facilities in both Canada and Europe. Enerkem will use the design and development of these facilities as the basis for the design of these new projects, combined with an additional integrated methanol-to-DME synthesis step at the end of the process.
The two DME projects with Enerkem build on the announcement of the first of its kind Dimeta-led waste-to-DME plant in the UK, which will be operational by 2025. The projects with Enerkem are a key part of achieving Dimeta’s goal of creating more than 300,000 tonnes of sustainable DME production capacity by 2027.
“We are excited to collaborate with Enerkem to transform large volumes of non-recyclable waste into recycled and renewable carbon DME on a global scale. This partnership is another important milestone in Dimeta’s journey. Enerkem has extensive experience developing renewable solutions, and I look forward to seeing how we continue to revolutionize DME to deliver a greener future for off-grid communities,” said Frankie Ugboma, CEO of Dimeta.
“We are committed to supporting Dimeta in achieving its decarbonization goals. This development is an example of the flexibility of our technology platform as a key enabler for hard-to-reduce sectors. Our joint ventures can form the foundation for future project developments globally within the off-grid energy market and are an opportunity to expand Enerkem’s waste-to-methanol platform,” added Dominique Boies, CEO of Enerkem.
About Dimeta
Established in February 2022, Dimeta is a joint venture between SHV Energy and UGI International, developed to promote the production and use of renewable and recycled dimethyl carbon ether (DME), a sustainable low-carbon liquid gas. The organization has a goal of creating 300,000 tons of DME production capacity from renewable and recycled carbon by 2027.
Headquartered in Leiden, The Netherlands, Dimeta is committed to pioneering the advancement of renewable and recycled carbon DME technologies that accelerate the transition of the off-grid energy market to sustainable low-carbon energy and contribute to the establishment of a net zero carbon economy.
In 2022, Dimeta announced its first commercial production facility, the UK’s first waste-to-DME conversion facility, which will be operational by 2025 and will produce over 50,000 tonnes of sustainable DME made from waste. Subsequent plants are under development in Europe and the United States.
For more information visit www.dimeta.nl
About Enerkem
Founded in 2000, Enerkem develops and markets its innovative gasification technology that transforms non-recyclable waste into biofuels, low-carbon fuels, and circular chemicals for hard-to-reduce industries, including sustainable aviation and marine fuels. Their solution addresses both the challenges of waste management and the reliance on fossil fuel products, while contributing to the development of a circular economy for a sustainable future with net zero carbon emissions.
Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Enerkem employs nearly 300 employees, including in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom, and has several projects around the world, including the world’s first commercial-scale biorefinery producing advanced biomethanol and circular methanol from non-recyclable waste in Alberta, Canada. A large-scale facility based on Enerkem’s waste-to-methanol platform is under construction in Quebec, Canada, and is scheduled to start operations in 2025. In Tarragona, Spain, Enerkem technology is at the center of the Ecoplanta project, which will produce biomethanol and circular methanol from non-recyclable waste.
For more information, visit www.enerkem.com
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