Mission NewEnergy Ltd

Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India

The non-renewability, ecological issues and health hazards connected with the fossil fuels has led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could 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 motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or might be utilized in its pure type.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage across markets and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise started checking out the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net influence on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines similar to normal petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government revealed 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 vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are utilized as the pre-dominant basic 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 biggest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in big in wastelands all throughout India needing extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help 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 offering complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be checked out. It will not only provide a response to the challenge of Global Warming however could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.