Automotive bio-fuels in Växjö

There are several low emission vehicles, hybrids and alternative fuels available short-term, such as ethanol, RME, biogas, etc for the reduction of fossil CO₂ emissions from transport, but Växjö and others believe that more efficient fuels must be used.

According to several separate LCA studies bio-DME is the best alternative. It is not hazardous to health: it does not affect the ozone layer, neither does create any particles when burnt (no diesel smoke!) and has excellent emission values including very low NO_x. DME will thus drastically improve the inner city environment.

In the early 90s ethanol (E85) vehicles were introduced in Växjö and there were plans for a forest residue based ethanol plant. However, when DME was presented Växjö dropped the ethanol plans and started a project involving the support of the development of DME vehicles and of the bio-DME production processes. The results of the bio-DME efforts so far is that Volvo, in a EU FP5 project with Växjö as partner, has developed a dedicated pilot DME lorry, which is the basis for the production of three second generation DME lorries, which will be demonstrated in a EU LIFE project in Växjö starting early next year. A second result is that the energy companies in Växjö and neighbouring Värnamo have acquired an 18 MW biomass gasification pilot plant, which has been used to develop a certain heat and power technique. Växjö University is the lead partner in a EU FP6 project, CHRISGAS for the development of the production processes involved in the gasification of biomass into a synthesis gas suitable for the production of vehicle bio-fuels such as DME, F-T diesel, hydrogen, Methanol, Methane, etc. Växjö's long-term plan includes a 170 000 t/y bio-DME production plant. There are also plans in Sweden for the production of bio-DME from gasified black liquor at a pulp mill south of Växjö.

While Sweden may be pioneering DME in the European Union, there are already DME vehicles running in Japan, Korea, China and Russia.