Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, environmental issues 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 grease or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel motors. 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 however can be blended with petroleum diesel for use or could be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage across industries and verticals and might become a perfect cleaner and more affordable option to fuel, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually likewise started checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the country where vegetable 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 eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs 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 infrastructure for its storage and can be saved much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the environmental threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually used up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government revealed 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 veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel but in India the optimal potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil – a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India requiring very little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered 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 cultivation in the nation. India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking steps to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India offering free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should likewise be explored. It will not just offer an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.