1
Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Catharine Creswick edited this page 2025-01-18 19:45:53 +08:00


The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health dangers related to the fossil fuels has actually led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard 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 might be used to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or could be used in its pure type.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across markets and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise begun exploring 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 normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, rising petroleum prices and the environmental hazards of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has used up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to fulfill 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 products 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 biggest advantage of using jatropha curcas as a raw material 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 life-span of numerous decades. The jatropha curcas seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation in the nation. India now

A research study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha is accomplished in 2011-12, India will save 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 cultivation of Jatropha in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be explored. It will not just offer a response to the challenge of Global Warming however could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.