Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health dangers associated with the fossil fuels has led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that could be utilized to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or might be utilized in its pure type.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use throughout industries and verticals and could emerge as an ideal cleaner and cheaper alternative to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also begun exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net influence on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines simply like typical petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different facilities for its storage and can be stored much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the environmental risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government announced 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, edible vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used 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 greatest advantage of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all throughout India requiring really little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved 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 decrease 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 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 opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be checked out. It will not only supply an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming however might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.