The non-renewability, environmental issues and health risks connected with the fossil fuels has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from veggie oil or animal-fat that could be utilized 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 consists of no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for use or could be used in its pure form.

Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have actually currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use across markets and verticals and might become an ideal cleaner and cheaper option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually likewise started checking out the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already operating in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net impact on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines simply like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate 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 taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends to meet 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 utilized as the materials for oil processing and biodiesel production however in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha jatropha curcas. The greatest benefit of using Jatropha as a raw material 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 several decades. The jatropha curcas seeds contain 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the country. India now

A study estimates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 government is taking actions to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India offering complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest 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 also be explored. It will not just supply a response to the difficulty of Global Warming but might decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.