1 Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
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The non-renewability, environmental issues and health dangers connected with the fossil fuels has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that might 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 contains no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or might be used in its pure form.

Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use across industries and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually also started exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines just like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different infrastructure for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, rising petroleum rates and the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. 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 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 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 using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all across India needing very little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life-span of several years. The Jatropha seeds contain 40% oil and are thought about to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the nation. India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create 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 government is taking actions to encourage the growing of jatropha curcas in India offering totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be checked out. It will not just supply an answer to the challenge of Global Warming but could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.