The non-renewability, environmental issues and health risks connected with the fossil fuels has led to expedition 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 stemmed from grease or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel motors. 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 mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or might be used in its pure form.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have actually already made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use throughout industries and verticals and might become a perfect cleaner and cheaper option to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also started checking out the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the nation where vegetable oils are with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines similar to regular petroleum diesel and for this reason can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not require any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be kept much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum prices and the environmental threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government announced 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 used as the pre-dominant basic materials 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 utilizing jatropha curcas as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial amounts in wastelands all across India needing very little water in comparison to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial lifespan of a number of years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are thought about to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation 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 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 federal government is taking actions to motivate the growing of Jatropha in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now enhance its efforts to make the fullest use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should likewise be checked out. It will not only supply a response to the challenge of Global Warming however might decrease our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.