The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health hazards connected with the fossil fuels has actually led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure form.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage throughout markets and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like typical petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the environmental threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually taken up initiatives to develop 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 intends to satisfy 20% of India's diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all throughout India requiring extremely little water in to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial lifespan of a number of decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. India now

A research study approximates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved 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 actions to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be checked out. It will not only supply an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming however might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.