The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health threats related to the fossil fuels has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the traditional ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from vegetable oil or animal-fat that might be utilized 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 includes no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure form.
Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use across markets and verticals and could become a perfect cleaner and less expensive alternative to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually likewise started exploring the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.
The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, thus having no net influence on the environment. Besides, in compression engines just like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different facilities for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum prices and the ecological threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends to satisfy 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 basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest advantage of using jatropha curcas as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India requiring very little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful lifespan of numerous decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now
A research 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 produce 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 steps to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India requires to now strengthen its efforts 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 must likewise be checked out. It will not only supply an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming but could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.
1
Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Julienne Winn edited this page 2025-01-16 12:46:26 +08:00