Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks related to the fossil fuels has actually resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from veggie oil 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 however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or might be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its usage throughout industries and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also begun exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) 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 environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines just like typical petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be stored just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental hazards of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has used up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government revealed its ‘National Biofuel Policy’ on 12 September 2008 which intends to fulfill 20% of India’s diesel demand with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all across India needing extremely little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life-span of numerous decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 actions to encourage the cultivation of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should likewise be explored. It will not just offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming however might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.