Editing Dimethyl ether (section)

==Production==
Approximately 50,000 tons were produced in 1985 in Western Europe by [[dehydration reaction|dehydration]] of [[methanol]]:<ref name=Ullmann>Manfred Müller, Ute Hübsch, "Dimethyl Ether" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2005. {{doi|10.1002/14356007.a08_541}}</ref>
:{{chem2|2 CH3OH -> (CH3)2O + H2O}}
The required methanol is obtained from synthesis gas ([[syngas]]).<ref name=ChemSystems>{{cite web|url=http://www.chemsystems.com/reports/search/docs/abstracts/0708S3_abs.pdf|title=CHEMSYSTEMS.COM|website=www.chemsystems.com|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122170413/http://www.chemsystems.com/reports/search/docs/abstracts/0708S3_abs.pdf|archive-date=22 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Other possible improvements call for a dual catalyst system that permits both methanol synthesis and dehydration in the same process unit, with no methanol isolation and purification.<ref name=ChemSystems/><ref>P.S. Sai Prasad et al., Fuel Processing Technology, 2008, 89, 1281.</ref>
Both the one-step and two-step processes above are commercially available. The two-step process is relatively simple and start-up costs are relatively low. A one-step liquid-phase process is in development.<ref name=ChemSystems/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airproducts.com/Technology/product_offering.asp?reg=GBL&intProductTypeCategoryId=95&intRegionalMarketSegment=0|title=Air Products Technology Offerings|website=airproducts.com|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212191702/http://www.airproducts.com/technology/product_offering.asp?reg=GBL&intProductTypeCategoryId=95&intRegionalMarketSegment=0|archive-date=12 December 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===From biomass===
Dimethyl ether is a synthetic [[second generation biofuel]] (BioDME), which can be produced from [[lignocellulosic biomass]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biodme.eu/|title=BioDME|website=www.biodme.eu|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-date=10 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410183454/http://www.biodme.eu/|url-status=live}}</ref> The EU is considering BioDME in its potential biofuel mix in 2030;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/pdf/draft_vision_report_en.pdf|title=Biofuels in the European Union, 2006|website=europa.eu|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-date=3 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203221230/http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/pdf/draft_vision_report_en.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> It can also be made from [[biogas]] or [[methane]] from animal, food, and agricultural waste,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://oberonfuels.com/2013/06/07/oberon-fuels-brings-production-units-online-launching-the-first-north-american-fuel-grade-dme-facilities/ |title=Oberon Fuels Brings Production Units Online, Launching the First North American Fuel-grade DME Facilities |date=7 June 2013 |access-date=2018-08-04 |archive-date=2021-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506070121/https://oberonfuels.com/2013/06/07/oberon-fuels-brings-production-units-online-launching-the-first-north-american-fuel-grade-dme-facilities/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTGGFR/Resources/AG_utilization_via_mini_GTL.pdf?resourceurlname=AG_utilization_via_mini_GTL.pdf |title=Associated Gas Utilization via mini GTL |access-date=2018-08-04 |archive-date=2018-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804201342/http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTGGFR/Resources/AG_utilization_via_mini_GTL.pdf?resourceurlname=AG_utilization_via_mini_GTL.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> or even from [[shale gas]] or [[natural gas]].<ref>{{Cite book |doi = 10.1016/S0167-2991(04)80081-8|chapter = Direct Dimethyl Ether (DME) synthesis from natural gas|title = Natural Gas Conversion VII, Proceedings of the 7th Natural Gas Conversion Symposium|volume = 147|pages = 379–384|series = Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis|year = 2004|last1 = Ogawa|first1 = Takashi|last2 = Inoue|first2 = Norio|last3 = Shikada|first3 = Tutomu|last4 = Inokoshi|first4 = Osamu|last5 = Ohno|first5 = Yotaro|isbn = 9780444515995}}</ref>

The [[Volvo]] Group is the coordinator for the [[European Community]] [[Seventh Framework Programme]] project BioDME<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.volvo.com/group/global/en-gb/newsmedia/pressreleases/NewsItemPage.htm?channelId=2184&ItemID=47984&sl=en-gb |title=Home {{pipe}} Volvo Group |access-date=2011-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525045327/http://www.volvo.com/group/global/en-gb/newsmedia/pressreleases/NewsItemPage.htm?channelId=2184&ItemID=47984&sl=en-gb |archive-date=2009-05-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.volvo.com/group/global/en-gb/volvo+group/ourvalues/environment/renewable_fuels/biodme/biodme.htm|title=Volvo Group - Driving prosperity through transport solutions|website=www.volvo.com|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-date=6 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606064458/https://www.volvogroup.com/en-en/home.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> where [[Chemrec]]'s BioDME pilot plant is based on [[black liquor]] [[gasification]] in [[Piteå]], [[Sweden]].<ref>[http://www.chemrec.se/admin/UploadFile.aspx?path=/UserUploadFiles/Pressreleaser%202010/The-first-BioDME-plant-in-the-world-inaugurated_1.pdf Chemrec press release September 9, 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612010101/http://www.chemrec.se/admin/UploadFile.aspx?path=%2FUserUploadFiles%2FPressreleaser+2010%2FThe-first-BioDME-plant-in-the-world-inaugurated_1.pdf |date=June 12, 2017 }}</ref>