1 Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Carl Preece edited this page 2025-01-11 22:45:21 +01:00


The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health threats related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained from veggie 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 mixed with petroleum diesel 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 actually found its use throughout industries and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and cheaper option to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise begun exploring the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net influence on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like regular petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be saved just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the ecological hazards of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken up efforts to develop 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 aims to meet 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but 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 using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all throughout India requiring really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of a number of years. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create 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 government is taking actions to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India offering totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and must also be checked out. It will not just offer an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming however could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.