Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease 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 includes no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use throughout markets and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and less expensive alternative to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise started checking out the chances to produce and utilize 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 normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net influence on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, rising petroleum prices and the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken 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 fulfill 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 raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant advantage of using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all across India needing extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of a number of years. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 of land ideal for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the nation. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce 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 cultivation of jatropha curcas in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to also be checked out. It will not only supply a response to the challenge of Global Warming but could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.