Comparison of the production of dimethyl ether (DME) from lignite coal and biomass as energy sources to substitute LPG: A case study in Indonesia.

DME can be synthesized from natural gas, coal, biomass, and/or coal seam, and is a sulfur-free, near-zero aromatics synthetic fuel which is considered as an excellent substitute for conventional diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Currently, various production technologies are developed and many commercial projects are actively being progressed. This paper presents recent development and future prospect of Dimethyl Ether (DME) as an alternative energy, simple review for biomass energy, comparison of biomass and coal conversion to DME. The use of lignite coal as the basic material for the manufacture of DME is less profitable because it produces H2S gas which is harmful to the environment, thus requiring a purification unit to remove the gas. The addition of these units increases production costs. Meanwhile, biomass has higher availability and contains lower sulfur than coal. Biomass that has the potential as a substitute for lignite is tofu waste because of the highest availability and the highest syngas yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]