The non-renewability, environmental issues and health dangers connected with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be used 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 contains no petroleum but can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have actually currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across industries and verticals and could emerge as an ideal cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise started checking out the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines just like regular petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be kept similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, rising petroleum rates and the environmental threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends 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 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 jatropha curcas. The biggest advantage of utilizing jatropha curcas as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all across India needing really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life expectancy of several years. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create 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 actions to motivate the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should likewise be explored. It will not just supply a response to the difficulty of Global Warming however could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.