Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health hazards related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has caused expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be utilized to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It contains no petroleum however can be with petroleum diesel for use or might be used in its pure kind.
Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have actually currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use throughout industries and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise started exploring the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the nation where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like typical petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any different infrastructure for its storage and can be saved similar to the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy need in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually used up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to meet 20% of India's diesel demand 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 products for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest advantage of utilizing Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India needing extremely little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of several years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are thought about to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now
A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in reduction 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 requires to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to likewise be explored. It will not just provide an answer to the challenge of Global Warming but could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.