Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has actually resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that might show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained from grease or animal-fat that could be used 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 includes no petroleum however can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure type.

Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage across markets and verticals and could become an ideal cleaner and cheaper alternative to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also started checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to regular petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the environmental dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government announced its ‘National Biofuel Policy’ on 12 September 2008 which aims to satisfy 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 utilized as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge in wastelands all across India requiring really little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life-span of a number of decades. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A study estimates 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 actions to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to likewise be explored. It will not only supply a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but might decrease our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.