Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health hazards connected with the fossil fuels has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from vegetable oil or animal-fat that might 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 combined with petroleum diesel for use or could be utilized in its pure type.

Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across markets and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and more affordable alternative to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise begun exploring the opportunities 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 typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any different facilities for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the country, increasing petroleum costs and the ecological dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually used up efforts to establish 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 satisfy 20% of India’s diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, are used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 biggest benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in substantial amounts in wastelands all across India needing extremely little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life expectancy of several years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A 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 create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking steps to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be checked out. It will not only offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming however could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.