Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that might be used to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use across industries and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also begun exploring the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net impact on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any different infrastructure for its storage and can be kept similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the country, increasing petroleum rates and the environmental dangers 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 systems. The Government revealed its ‘National Biofuel Policy’ on 12 September 2008 which aims to meet 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 utilized as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but 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 greatest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial amounts in wastelands all throughout India needing very little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a life-span of numerous 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 determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in reduction 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 providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be checked out. It will not just provide a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but might decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.