Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health risks connected with the fossil fuels has resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from vegetable oil or animal-fat that might be utilized 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 however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure form.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use across industries and verticals and could emerge as an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually also begun checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different infrastructure for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, rising petroleum costs and the ecological risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up efforts to 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 need 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 greatest advantage of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in big quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing very little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of several years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A research study approximates that even if a mixing effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India offering complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now strengthen 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 should also be explored. It will not only offer an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming however could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.