The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually led to exploration 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 obtained from grease or animal-fat that might be used to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It contains no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure type.
Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have actually currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use across markets and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also begun checking out the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines similar to regular petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different facilities for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy need in the country, rising petroleum rates and the ecological risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government announced 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest benefit of using Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all throughout India requiring really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life expectancy of several years. The jatropha curcas seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the country. India now
A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will save 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 actions to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India offering totally 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, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be checked out. It will not only supply a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but might decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.
