The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health threats connected with the fossil fuels has resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for use or could be used in its pure kind.
Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have actually already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage throughout markets and verticals and could become a perfect cleaner and cheaper option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise begun checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like regular petroleum diesel and for this reason can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be kept just like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy need in the nation, rising petroleum prices and the ecological threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to fulfill 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 biggest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial amounts in wastelands all across India requiring really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful lifespan of a number of decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha cultivation in the nation. India now
A research study approximates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha 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 aid in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking steps to encourage the cultivation of Jatropha in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be explored. It will not only provide a response to the difficulty of Global Warming but could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.
