The non-renewability, environmental issues and health hazards connected with the nonrenewable fuel sources has led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained 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 however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across markets and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and cheaper alternative to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually also started checking out the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines simply like typical petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be kept just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, rising petroleum rates and the ecological threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims 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 utilized as the pre-dominant raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 greatest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all across India requiring very little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life expectancy of several years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now

A research study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the fullest usage 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 only supply an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming but could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.