The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks connected with the fossil fuels has actually resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. An appealing innovation, still in its infancy, that might show us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from grease or animal-fat that might be used to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It includes no petroleum however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for use or might be used in its pure type.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its use across markets and verticals and could become a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like typical petroleum diesel and thus can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum costs and the environmental hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up efforts 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 fulfill 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 utilized as the pre-dominant basic 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 most significant advantage of utilizing jatropha curcas as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all across India needing very little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful lifespan of several decades. The jatropha curcas seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually identified 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas cultivation in the nation. India now

A study approximates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 federal government is taking to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India offering totally 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, the opportunities for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil ought to likewise be checked out. It will not only provide an answer to the difficulty of Global Warming however could decrease our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.