{"id":5375,"date":"2026-06-23T14:10:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T12:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.innovation4e.de\/?p=5375"},"modified":"2026-06-23T14:10:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T12:10:31","slug":"replacing-fossil-fuels-dme-as-a-hydrogen-carrier-futureenergy-dimethyl-ether","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.innovation4e.de\/en\/2026\/06\/23\/replacing-fossil-fuels-dme-as-a-hydrogen-carrier-futureenergy-dimethyl-ether\/","title":{"rendered":"Replacing Fossil Fuels: DME as a Hydrogen Carrier – #FutureEnergy Dimethyl Ether"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space has dedicated its Science Year 2025 to solutions and ideas in energy research. For us at Europe\u2019s largest solar research institute, this has been part of our DNA since 1981. That\u2019s why we asked our colleagues what\u00a0#FutureEnergy<\/strong>\u00a0plays a special role in their everyday work. In this (mainly German) blog series, we introduce our researchers, their projects, and their personal views on energy and the energy transition.
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Robert Szolak<\/strong> is a department head at Fraunhofer ISE and, together with his colleagues, researches solutions for converting green electricity into green molecules such as ammonia or dimethyl ether. The research team is investigating the most efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable ways to produce, transport, and, if necessary, convert them back into hydrogen. In addition, the experts are developing environmentally friendly aviation and marine fuels and new concepts for capturing CO2 from the air (direct air capture).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Which future technology are you enthusiastic about? Why?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hydrogen technologies are crucial for transforming the energy system in order to slow down climate change and achieve climate targets. According to the national hydrogen strategy, Germany will import around 50\u201370% of its hydrogen and its derivatives, either via pipelines from neighboring countries or by ship in the form of ammonia, methanol, or dimethyl ether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Since demand for hydrogen in Germany will be significantly higher than production capacity, we will have to import a large portion of the hydrogen we need. \u00a9 iStock.com \/ AvigatorPhotographer<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I consider dimethyl ether (DME) to be a very interesting molecule in this regard. It is known as the propellant in deodorant spray cans. But DME can do more: it is an environmentally friendly alternative to diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, and CFCs and can be used as an intermediate product for the production of sustainable aviation fuels. DME is an important building block for the hydrogen economy, as it can be used as an efficient hydrogen carrier for its transport. Unlike ammonia, dimethyl ether is non-toxic and can be liquefied without consuming much energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Fraunhofer ISE, we have developed a process that greatly increases the overall efficiency of converting renewable energy into DME compared to the conventional, complex, and energy-intensive process: The new process uses reactive distillation, which bypasses the thermodynamic reaction equilibrium by coupling synthesis and distillation, reducing energy requirements, plant complexity, and investment costs. As a result, the process has 39 percent lower overall costs than the conventional process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Robert Szolak<\/strong><\/strong>
Head of Department “Sustainable Synthesis Products” at Fraunhofer ISE<\/p>\n\n\n\n