The non-renewability, environmental issues and health dangers associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has actually resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. An appealing technology, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for use or might be used in its pure type.

Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have already made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its use throughout industries and verticals and could become an ideal cleaner and cheaper option to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also started checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines just like typical petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine adjustments. 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 country, rising petroleum rates and the ecological dangers 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 revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to satisfy 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 raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant benefit of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in big amounts in wastelands all throughout 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 consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A research that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce 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 growing of Jatropha in India offering complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to likewise be explored. It will not just supply an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming however could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.