Vijay Kumar, MD, Texol Engineering, Pirangut,Dr. Thirumalaiswamy Raja, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NCL,Dr. Ashish Lele, Director, CSIR-NCL Rajesh Date, MD, Atrium InnovationThe ongoing crisis in West Asia has adversely impacted India’s energy imports. India is heavily dependent on imports, importing 21 million tonnes, or about 65% of its LPG requirement in 2024. The ongoing crisis in West Asia has severely increased LPG prices, impacting the affordability and availability of fuel for everyday consumers.An indigenous alternative may hold the key to solving such a problem. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Chemical Laboratory in Pune has developed the Dimethyl Ether (DME) technology, which can potentially be blended with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as an alternative clean fuel.T Raja, Chief Scientist, Catalysis Division, CSIR-NCL and the research team have developed a patent-protected production process technology for DME that utilises an indigenously developed, cost-effective catalyst, ensuring efficient conversion of methanol to DME.Ashish Lele, CSIR-NCL Director, has described DME as a “clean-burning fuel with the potential to revolutionise cooking fuel and other sectors”.Indigenously developed fuel alternativeLPG, a fuel used in most Indian households and industries, is stored in cylinders and primarily consists of propane and butane. However, India’s import dependence as well as fuel price fluctuations pose a serious challenge.This is where DME can step in, serving as an indigenous, sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to LPG. Raja describes DME as a clean-burning fuel that can be produced domestically from sources such as methanol, coal, biomass, or even captured carbon dioxide. Moreover, DME can be blended with LPG and used in stoves with little to no modifications. This blending has been tested by the CSIR-NCL in collaboration with the LPG Equipment Research Centre.Developing this technologyThis technology was developed by improving both the catalyst or the material used, and the engineering design. Raja and his team developed a special catalyst that helps convert methanol into DME quickly and efficiently. Additionally, they designed the process to operate at 10 bar pressure. This allows the DME to be directly filled into cylinders, making it easier to use and transport.Story continues below this adAlso Read | NavIC satellite loses its atomic clock: What this means for India’s bid for its own GPSThe technology has already been tested on a semi-pilot scale (about 250 kg per day). This technology was developed over the past few years of research by scientists, focusing on both the catalyst and the process design.Sourcing methanol for DMEIndia currently imports methanol from countries including Iran, which could pose a challenge. However, Raja notes that methanol can be produced from several sources available domestically, such as coal, agricultural waste (biomass) or even captured carbon dioxide.Methane is the main part of natural gas. It does not directly produce DME, but serves as a starting material. It is first converted into syngas (CO and H2), and then into methanol, which is used to produce DME. Methane can be sourced from both fossil fuels and renewable sources, DME production is flexible and future-ready.“This means that over time, India can start producing its own methanol and reduce imports. Even in the short term, mixing a small amount of DME, say 8%, with LPG can reduce the amount of LPG India needs to import. In the long run, DME could allow India to reduce its import dependence,” Raja said.Story continues below this adThe cost of developing DME depends chiefly on the price of methanol used to make it. Raja estimates that the DME developed using CSIR-NCL’s technology costs 1.8 times the cost of methanol. Domestically produced methanol could thus make DME almost as affordable as LPG and even become cheaper over time, he said.“The key objective is that cheaper domestic methanol and cheaper DME can help reduce overall fuel costs in the future. DME also brings some extra economic benefits. It can help India save around Rs 9,500 crore every year by reducing LPG imports. Since DME burns cleaner, it can also lead to lower pollution, thereby indirectly saving money and reducing environmental and health-related costs,” Raja added.Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Explained Sci-TechExpress Explained