Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, ecological issues and health threats related to the fossil fuels has actually led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from veggie oil 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 consists of no petroleum however can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure form.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage throughout industries and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually likewise started exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the climate. 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 need any different infrastructure for its storage and can be saved just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, rising petroleum rates and the environmental hazards of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has used up efforts to develop 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 demand 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 utilizing Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all throughout India requiring very little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of several years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India requires to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be checked out. It will not only supply a response to the challenge of Global Warming however might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.