The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks connected with the nonrenewable fuel sources has resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas 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 used in its pure type.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have actually currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its usage across industries and verticals and might become a perfect cleaner and cheaper option to fuel, diesel and . India has also begun checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different infrastructure for its storage and can be saved simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the ecological hazards of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to meet 20% of India's diesel demand 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest advantage of utilizing jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all throughout India requiring very little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of several decades. The jatropha curcas seeds contain 40% oil and are thought about to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas growing in the nation. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and aid in decrease 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 supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce 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 need to likewise be checked out. It will not just supply a response to the challenge of Global Warming however could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.