Environment & Energy

I look forward to a future where DME is a common fuel for surface transportation, and even as a fuel for those who still insist on "cooking with gas."

Hydrogen is a terrible fuel.

Hydrogen is much better utilized to make fuels that are largely compatible with existing infrastructure -- synthetic jet and diesel fuels in the case of aircraft and ocean going diesel powered vessels, and DME for non-electrified railroads and long haul "eighteen wheeler" trucking.

Diesel engines can be designed and built to use 100% DME but the quickest transition is to use DME in combination with familiar diesel fuels, as is commonly accomplished with LPG or Natural Gas vehicles. In these engines ordinary diesel fuel is used as a "pilot fuel" to ignite the air/fuel mixture previously introduced into the cylinder.

By volume, DME is very similar to LPG, but an energy equivalent tank of DME weighs more than LPG or jet fuel.

I'll toss this paper out for further exploration:

https://www.combustion-engines.eu/pdf-116381-45602?filename=DME%20as%20alternative%20fuel.pdf