The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health risks associated with the fossil fuels has actually caused expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed 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 etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum but can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or might be used in its pure kind.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage throughout markets and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and cheaper alternative 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 operating in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be stored simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the ecological threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken 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 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 pre-dominant basic 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 curcas. The most significant benefit of as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India requiring really little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial lifespan of several years. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the nation. India now

A research study approximates that even if a mixing effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished 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 encourage the growing of jatropha curcas in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be checked out. It will not only provide an answer to the challenge of Global Warming but could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.