Net Energy Ratio and Life cycle greenhouse gases (GHG) assessment of five agricultural residues to
produce dimethyl ether (DME) including rice straw, palm empty fruit bunches, cassava rhizome, sugar
cane tops and leaves, maize stem with DME derived from lignite coal and natural gas by simulation of
two-stage DME production. Sugar cane tops and leaves indicated highest NER at 4.83 and lowest GHG
emission at 0.89 kg CO2e/kg DME due to their properties and low GHG burden in acquisition phase.
Compared to fossil-DME and diesel, it was found that the bio-DMEs derived from rice straw, sugar cane
tops and leaves and maize stem have potential for substitution with much lower life cycle GHG emissions
as well as high NER. On the other hand, cassava rhizome and palm empty fruit bunches show low
possibility of utilizing as DME feedstock due to high moisture content as well as low heating value.
Reducing their moisture content by using flue gas and solar drying are improvement measures to make
them promising as bio-DME feedstock.