Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats related to the fossil fuels has actually led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that might 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 however can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or could be utilized in its pure form.
Developed nations 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 might become an ideal cleaner and more affordable option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise started checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be kept similar to the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the country, increasing petroleum rates and the ecological dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government announced its ‘National Biofuel Policy’ on 12 September 2008 which aims to fulfill 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 basic materials 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 greatest benefit of using jatropha curcas as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in big quantities in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of several decades. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now
A research study estimates that even if a blending effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 federal government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to likewise be checked out. It will not just supply an answer to the challenge of Global Warming but could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.
