The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has actually caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from veggie 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 includes no petroleum but can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or could be utilized in its pure form.

Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have actually already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use across industries and verticals and could become a perfect cleaner and more affordable option to gas, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has likewise started exploring the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, rising petroleum costs and the ecological risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends to meet 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 raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production but 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 most significant benefit of utilizing Jatropha as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of several years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A study estimates that even if a mixing effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce 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 actions to encourage the cultivation of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now strengthen its to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to likewise be checked out. It will not only provide a response to the obstacle of Global Warming but could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.