Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental issues and health hazards associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that could be utilized 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 mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure form.

Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its usage throughout markets and verticals and could emerge as an ideal cleaner and less expensive alternative to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also begun checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the nation 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, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, increasing petroleum rates and the environmental risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government revealed 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 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 using Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A research study estimates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and assistance in decrease of Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India supplying complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be explored. It will not only provide a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.