The non-renewability, and health dangers related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has caused expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed 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 combined with petroleum diesel for use or might be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use throughout markets and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive alternative to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually also started exploring the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the nation where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net impact on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like regular petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be kept similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, rising petroleum prices and the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up initiatives to develop 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 fulfill 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 used as the pre-dominant raw materials 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 advantage of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India needing extremely little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial lifespan of several decades. The Jatropha seeds contain 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 appropriate for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now

A study estimates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha 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 assistance in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India providing totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should likewise be checked out. It will not only supply an answer to the challenge of Global Warming however could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.