The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health dangers associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the standard ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels from grease or animal-fat that could be utilized to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, jatropha curcas and so on 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 kind.

Developed countries specifically United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use throughout industries and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun exploring the opportunities 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 typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net influence on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to normal petroleum diesel and for this reason can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, rising petroleum rates and the environmental dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends to fulfill 20% of India's diesel need 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 raw 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 advantage of utilizing jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all across India needing really little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of a number of decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 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 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 help in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India supplying totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the fullest usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be checked out. It will not just offer an answer to the challenge of Global Warming however could reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.