The non-renewability, ecological issues and health threats related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that might be used to run diesel motors. 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 mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure form.
Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have actually already made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across markets and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and less expensive option to fuel, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually likewise begun checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.
The primary factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, thus having no net impact on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be kept simply like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the country, rising petroleum prices and the environmental hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually used 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 fulfill 20% of India's diesel need 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 basic 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 greatest benefit of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial amounts in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of numerous years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now
A study approximates that even if a blending effort 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 aid in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be explored. It will not only supply an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming but could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.
