The non-renewability, ecological issues and health hazards related to the fossil fuels has actually resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that might show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from vegetable oil or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure type.
Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage across industries and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also begun exploring the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different infrastructure for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, rising petroleum costs and the ecological threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually used up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to meet 20% of India's diesel need 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 however in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of utilizing jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all throughout India needing very little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life-span of a number of years. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now
A research study approximates that even if a mixing effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking steps to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be checked out. It will not only offer a response to the challenge of Global Warming but might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.
