1 Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Kent Krischock edited this page 2025-01-12 10:04:36 +00:00


The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that could 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 contains no petroleum but can be mixed with for usage or might be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage across markets and verticals and could become an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise started checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines simply like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different facilities for its storage and can be saved simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental dangers 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 announced 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 veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are utilized as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all across India needing very little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of several decades. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are thought about 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 cultivation in the nation. India now

A research study estimates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% jatropha curcas 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 assistance 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 supplying complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now reinforce its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be checked out. It will not just offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming however might decrease our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.