Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health threats related to the fossil fuels has led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from veggie oil or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It contains no petroleum however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or could be utilized in its pure type.

Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use across markets and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also begun exploring the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines simply like regular petroleum diesel and for this reason can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the ecological threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts 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 aims to meet 20% of India’s diesel demand with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible veggie 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 maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant advantage of as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India needing really little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life expectancy of several decades. The jatropha curcas seeds include 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 appropriate for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. India now

A study estimates that even if a blending effort of 2% jatropha curcas 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 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 curcas in India supplying totally free 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 drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be explored. It will not only offer an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.