Oct 1, 2008 12:00 PM

The Volvo Group is the coordinator for the European project BioDME, which involves the automotive industry as well as fuel producers and distributors regarding the fuel dimethyl ether (DME). The project will demonstrate the entire technology chain, from biomass to trucks powered by DME, including fuel distribution and filling stations.

Project partners represent all industrial sectors necessary to introduce a new fuel. In addition to Volvo, Chemrec, Delphi, ETC, Haldor Topsøe, and oil companies Preem and Total are partners in the project. Chemrec and Haldor Topsøe will construct the world's first plant for producing DME from biosource. Preem will implement the DME distribution and build filling stations. Volvo will demonstrate DME technology for heavy vehicles in a field test. ETC will evaluate performance characteristics in the pilot plant, Delphi delivers fuel injection equipment for the truck engines, and Total will work on fuel and lube oil specifications.

The project is co-financed by the partners of the consortium, EU's Seventh Framework Program (FP7), and the Swedish Energy Agency.