The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from veggie oil or animal-fat that could be utilized to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It contains no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or might be used in its pure type.
Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its usage throughout industries and verticals and might become a perfect cleaner and less expensive alternative to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also begun exploring the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The primary factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net impact on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different infrastructure for its storage and can be saved simply like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the ecological dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to fulfill 20% of India's diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.
Globally, edible vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the optimal potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest advantage of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all throughout India needing really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life-span of numerous decades. The jatropha curcas seeds consist of 40% oil and are thought about to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. India now
A study estimates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to also be explored. It will not just offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.
