The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has actually caused expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the traditional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or might be utilized in its pure kind.
Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use throughout industries and verticals and could become a perfect cleaner and more affordable alternative to fuel, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually likewise begun checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and for this reason can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum prices and the ecological risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to satisfy 20% of India's diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.
Globally, edible veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are utilized as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest advantage of using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all across India needing really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life expectancy of numerous decades. The jatropha curcas seeds consist of 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas growing in the nation. India now
A study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and assistance in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking steps to encourage the growing of jatropha curcas in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to also be explored. It will not only provide an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but might decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.
