Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health hazards connected with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the traditional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained from vegetable oil or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel engines. 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 combined with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure form.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use throughout industries and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also started exploring the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the nation where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net impact on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different infrastructure for its storage and can be saved similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually used up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up 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 vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest advantage of utilizing Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing extremely little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful lifespan of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation 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 save 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 growing of Jatropha in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be explored. It will not just provide an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming however could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.