The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health hazards related to the fossil fuels has resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be used 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 combined with petroleum diesel for use or might be used in its pure kind.
Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have actually already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across markets and verticals and could emerge as an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually likewise begun exploring the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.
The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like typical petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, rising petroleum rates and the environmental hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends to meet 20% of India's diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.
Globally, edible veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are utilized as the pre-dominant raw 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 biggest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all across India needing really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of several decades. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now
A study estimates that even if a mixing effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking actions to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India providing totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now reinforce 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 need to also be explored. It will not just provide a response to the challenge of Global Warming but might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.
