Significant commercial and regulatory developments worldwide are driving large increases in DME production capacity, and demonstrating its remarkable potential as an ultra clean, renewable, low-carbon fuel.  The IDA serves as the global voice for the DME industry, and works to promote the use of DME as a clean alternative fuel worldwide, to gather and communicate authoritative information about DME, and to coordinate relevant international activities and initiatives. 

The IDA has a global membership of companies, institutions, and individuals from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Australia, Europe and the Middle East, and from every sector of the industry, representing a wide range of interests within both the upstream and downstream value chains.

IDA Launches North American Affairs Group - Chemrec's LeBlanc Named as Director
Miami, 8 December 2009 | On the occasion of the 27th Annual World Methanol Conference in Miami the IDA annouced the formation of its North American Committee (NAAC) to promote the awareness and use of DME as an ultra-clean, renewable, low-carbon diesel substitute throughout North America.  More...

BioDME
The BioDME project now underway will demonstrate the possibilities offered by DME as an ultra-clean transportation fuel, and involves the complete chain from production of fuel from biomass to its utilization in vehicles.  The project, begun in 2008 and set to conclude in 2012, is partially funded by the European Union and involves a consortium of industry partners: Chemrec, Delphi, ETC, Haldor Topsoe, Preem, Total, and Volvo. 

KOGAS Announces 300,000 TPY DME Plant in Saudi Arabia
21 October  2009 | The world's largest corporate buyer of liquified natural gas has announced that it will invest US$ 344 million to build a DME plant in Saudi Arabia.  The plant, to be located in Jubail, will produce 300,000 tons per year of DME from 2013.  James McCandless, CEO of IDA member company Alternative Fuel Technology stated that he is "not surprised that KOGAS would spend over $330 Million to build a DME plant of this size, as we have been working with KIER (Korean Institute for Energy Research) for several years and we know they see a bright future for DME.  More...

Project website

DME Rebounding as Alternative to Diesel for Trucks and Cars
Fleet Owner |
Several big players in the global car and truck market are rekindling an interest in dimethyl ether or “DME” as an alternative fuel, largely because it’s relatively cheap, requires very low injection pressures, and produces little pollution from combustion. More... 

DME Production Announced in Indonesia to Meet Household Gas Needs
24 June 2009 | Indonesian companies PT Pertamina and PT Arrtu Mega Energie have announced a joint venture to develop a DME refinery, with a total investment of US$1.9 billion.  Production is expected to begin by 2012, with a projected capacity of 1.7 million tons of DME per year produced from low grade coal.  Pertamina is conducting a market trial involving the distribution of canisters filled with a DME/LPG blend to homes and home industries in Jakarta. 

DME: From Spray Cans to Fuel Tanks
DownstreamToday | The growing popularity of DME in China is such that annual production is expected to grow from 2 million metric tons as of last year to 20 million metric tons by 2020. Most of the new Chinese production will be used for transportation. More...

IDA Position Paperon the China LPG cylinder safety issue