The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has actually caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from veggie oil or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas etc 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 type.

Developed countries specifically 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 could become an ideal cleaner and less expensive option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net impact on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines simply like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken 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 meet 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 utilized as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest benefit of using Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India needing really little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life expectancy of several years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A research study estimates that even if a initiative 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 encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India providing 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 curcas, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be checked out. It will not only offer an answer to the challenge of Global Warming however could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.