The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health hazards related to the fossil fuels has led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained from grease 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 contains no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage 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 use throughout markets and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and less expensive alternative to petrol, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has actually also begun exploring the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the country where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) 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 influence on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like regular 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 stored much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, rising petroleum rates and the environmental risks of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually used up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to fulfill 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 utilized as the pre-dominant raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal potential to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest benefit of using Jatropha as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all across India needing really little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life expectancy of several years. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the Jatropha growing in the nation. India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and assistance in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking actions to motivate the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India supplying complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be explored. It will not only supply an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but might our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.