The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks associated with the fossil fuels has actually resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from veggie oil or animal-fat that might be used to run diesel engines. 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 however can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage across industries and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and cheaper option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also started checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines simply like typical petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the country, rising petroleum rates and the ecological threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to meet 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 used as the pre-dominant raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all across India requiring really little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of numerous years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha 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 assistance 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 curcas in free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now reinforce its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should likewise be checked out. It will not only supply a response to the difficulty of Global Warming but could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.