The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that might be utilized 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 contains no petroleum however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have actually already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage throughout industries and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise started exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines just like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be stored simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the ecological threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. 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 vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant raw products for and biodiesel production however in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest advantage of using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all throughout India requiring really little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life expectancy of numerous decades. The jatropha curcas seeds contain 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create 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 federal government is taking steps to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be checked out. It will not only supply an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.