1 Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
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The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be utilized 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 consists of no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure type.

Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage throughout markets and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already 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 effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up initiatives to establish 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 aims 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 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 oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest benefit of utilizing jatropha curcas as a basic is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all across India requiring very little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of a number of decades. The jatropha curcas seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas growing in the nation. India now

A study estimates that even if a blending effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking actions to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be checked out. It will not just supply a response to the challenge of Global Warming but might decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.