The non-renewability, ecological issues and health threats associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained from vegetable oil or animal-fat that might 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 includes no petroleum however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or could be used in its pure form.

Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have actually currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use throughout markets and verticals and might become a perfect cleaner and less expensive alternative to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also started exploring the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net impact on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and thus 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 demand in the country, increasing petroleum costs and the environmental hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up efforts 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 need 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 products for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest benefit of using jatropha curcas as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of several decades. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are thought about to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a mixing of 2% jatropha curcas 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 help in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to encourage the growing of jatropha curcas in India providing totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be explored. It will not just supply an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming however might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.