Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
The non-renewability, environmental issues and health risks connected with the nonrenewable fuel sources has resulted in expedition of of energy to substitute the conventional ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that might show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from grease 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 consists of no petroleum but can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure form.
Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have already made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use across industries and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun exploring the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the nation where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines simply like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its storage and can be saved similar to the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy need in the nation, rising petroleum costs and the environmental threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up efforts to establish 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 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 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 most significant benefit of using jatropha curcas as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India needing really little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of a number of decades. The jatropha curcas seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now
A study approximates that even if a mixing effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is achieved 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 decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to motivate the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now enhance its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be explored. It will not only supply a response to the obstacle of Global Warming however might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.