The ongoing war in West Asia has severely affected the LPG supply chain across the world. Due to this, there is a possibility of increase in the price of gas and severe shortage in future. This question is bound to arise in the mind of the common man that if the supply of foreign LPG is disrupted, then how will food be cooked at home? In view of this serious problem, India has intensified work on a strong ‘Plan B’. The name of this indigenous scheme is DME.
How will DME become the new kitchen companion?
According to a report in Times Now, DME i.e. Dimethyl ether is a special type of gas, which is prepared artificially with the help of methanol. The biggest feature of this fuel is that its original source, methanol, can be easily obtained from biomass, coal and even carbon dioxide (CO2) present in the air. The chemical properties of LPG and DME are very similar. Due to this similarity, it is being considered an excellent and clean option for cooking and other energy needs in homes. Apart from using it directly, it can also be used by mixing it with LPG in different proportions.
Old cylinder, old stove… no new expenses!
Whenever it comes to any new fuel, what worries the common consumer the most is the expense on new equipment. But in case of DME, the public will not have to bear this financial burden. According to expert Ashish Lele, there is no need for any major changes in the existing infrastructure to use DME instead of LPG. The cylinder, regulator, gas pipe and burner stove currently present in your house will work normally with this new gas. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already set the technical standards for mixing DME in LPG for domestic and commercial use.
Why did India need this new fuel?
The current situation is that India buys a large part of its LPG requirement from abroad. Due to this heavy dependence on imports, whenever there is a conflict in any part of the world, India’s energy security is at risk. The current global crisis has made it even more clear that we have to pay attention to our local options. Taking steps in this direction, scientists of CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) have started work towards producing DME on a large scale. A pilot plant for DME has recently been set up in the laboratory, and now scientists are planning to increase its production manifold.
Dependence on imports will reduce
The main goal of policy makers is to create an indigenous and clean alternative that can reduce our dependence on imported LPG. If this pilot project of CSIR-NCL is successful and implemented on a large scale, then the fluctuations in the international market will not have a direct impact on our economy and the general public. This initiative can prove to be a huge step towards diversifying clean cooking fuel sources and making the country energy self-reliant amid future uncertainties.