The non-renewability, environmental issues and health threats associated with the fossil fuels has actually resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the method to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that might be utilized 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 consists of no petroleum however can be blended with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries specifically 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 become a perfect cleaner and less expensive alternative to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise begun exploring the opportunities to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already functioning in the country where veggie oils are responded with alcohols ( or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

The main factor for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different infrastructure for its storage and can be kept just like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the ecological hazards 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 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 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 capacity to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest advantage of using jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing extremely little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of numerous years. The jatropha curcas 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 appropriate for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. 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 create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to encourage the cultivation of Jatropha in India supplying free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil should also be explored. It will not just provide an answer to the challenge of Global Warming but might decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.