1 Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Margarita Wirth edited this page 3 months ago


The non-renewability, ecological issues and health hazards associated with the fossil fuels has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the traditional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that could 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 however can be blended with petroleum diesel for use or could be utilized in its pure form.

Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use across markets and verticals and could emerge as an ideal cleaner and cheaper alternative to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines just 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 kept similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to satisfy 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 used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in substantial amounts in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of numerous decades. The jatropha curcas seeds consist of 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the nation. India now

A research study approximates that even if a blending of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and assistance in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking actions to motivate the growing of jatropha curcas in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now enhance its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to likewise be explored. It will not only offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming however could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.