Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour for India
The non-renewability, ecological issues and health risks related to the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, 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 could be used to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It contains no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure kind.
Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use throughout markets and verticals and could become an ideal cleaner and less expensive alternative to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the nation where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The primary factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net impact on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to regular petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be saved just like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy need in the country, increasing petroleum costs and the ecological hazards of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually used up efforts to develop 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 used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant advantage of using Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing extremely little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial life-span of several decades. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation in the nation. India now
A study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 federal government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to likewise be checked out. It will not just offer a response to the obstacle of Global Warming however could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.
