1 Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Windy Lafountain edited this page 2025-01-11 11:10:26 -05:00


The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health dangers associated with the fossil fuels has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or might be used in its pure form.

Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use across industries and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and less expensive option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines just like normal petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be stored simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the country, rising petroleum rates and the environmental dangers of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually taken up initiatives to establish 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 satisfy 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful lifespan of several years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation in the nation. India now

A study estimates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now reinforce its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be explored. It will not just supply a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but might decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.