MoS Suresh Gopi speaks in Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
Even as there are some commercial applications of blending dimethyl ether (DME) with LPG globally, there are certain downsides such as material compatibility, safety and lower calorific value of the former, Parliament was informed on Monday.The government is aware of a potential pathway of blending of DME with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), said the Minister of State for the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) Suresh Gopi in a written response in the Rajya Sabha.“While some experiments, pilot projects, and limited commercial applications of DME–LPG blending have been undertaken globally, there are downsides of material compatibility, safety, handling, and regulatory requirements and lower calorific value than LPG,” the Minister added.Presently, there is no proposal under consideration to formulate a national DME blending policy or to provide fiscal incentives or viability gap funding specifically for DME production for LPG blending, Gopi said.“Similarly, no procurement programme for DME by PSU oil marketing companies (OMCs) has been finalised,” the Minister added.According to the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), DME is a promising fuel that is both sustainable and eco-friendly. It is a synthetically produced alternative fuel that can be directly used in specially designed compression ignition diesel engines for various purposes. Under normal atmospheric conditions, DME is a colourless gas.DME can be considered as a ‘Second Generation fuel/bio-fuel’ with a slight ethereal odour. It is used extensively in the chemical industry and as an aerosol propellant, solvent, fuel, and refrigerant. DME exhibits comparable calorific value and similarity of its thermal efficiency to traditional fuels. It is a clean-burning fuel with low emission and low particulate matter.India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG consumption, out of which about 90 per cent transits through the Strait of Hormuz. In view of the conflict in West Asia, the availability of imported LPG in the country has been impacted.LPG prices are linked to its prices in the international market. While prices of commercial LPG are set by LPG marketing companies independently, the government continues to modulate the effective price to consumers for domestic LPG.Published on July 27, 2026
