Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, ecological issues and health hazards associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that might show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from grease or animal-fat that could 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 but can be blended with petroleum diesel for use or could be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its usage across industries and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and less expensive option to fuel, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also started checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the ecological threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government announced its ‘National Biofuel Policy’ on 12 September 2008 which intends to satisfy 20% of need with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant advantage of using Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing very little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of a number of decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A research study estimates 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 create 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 government is taking actions to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India requires to now enhance its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be explored. It will not only offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.