Researchers at BITS Pilani’s Hyderabad campus have developed a catalyst that can convert captured industrial CO2 into dimethyl ether (DME), a clean-burning fuel that can supplement LPG. Developed over five years by professors and more than 10 students, the single-step process combines CO2-to-methanol and methanol-to-DME reactions, potentially reducing energy use and engineering complexity. With laboratory validation completed, the team is now exploring pilot-scale development, offering a potential way to address both industrial emissions and India’s LPG import dependence.
