The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health threats related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional 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 curcas and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure kind.
Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have actually already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use across industries and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and cheaper alternative to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise started checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the nation where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines just like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different infrastructure for its storage and can be saved much 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 taken up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends 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 utilized as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of using Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India requiring very little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of numerous years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas growing in the nation. India now
A study approximates that even if a blending 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 aid in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking steps to encourage the growing of jatropha curcas in India offering complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to also be checked out. It will not just provide an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.
