The non-renewability, ecological issues and health threats related to the fossil fuels has led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from veggie oil or animal-fat that might be used to run diesel engines. 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 however can be combined with petroleum diesel for use or could be utilized in its pure form.
Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have actually currently made significant advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage throughout industries and verticals and might become a perfect cleaner and cheaper option to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also begun exploring the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.
The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like typical petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be kept just like the petroleum based fuels.
Considering the growing energy demand in the country, rising petroleum prices and the ecological threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims 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 raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity 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 curcas as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing really little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the nation. India now
A research study approximates that even if a blending 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 aid in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The federal government is taking actions to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be checked out. It will not just provide an answer to the challenge of Global Warming but could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.
1
Biodiesel Technology Need of the Hour For India
Evonne St Clair edited this page 2025-01-12 05:02:41 +00:00