The non-renewability, ecological concerns and health hazards related to the fossil fuels has actually resulted in expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that might reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels originated from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel engines. 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 contains no petroleum but can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have already made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage throughout industries and verticals and could become an ideal cleaner and cheaper option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has also begun checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently operating in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The primary reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, thus having no net influence on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines simply like typical petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any separate facilities for its and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the environmental dangers of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing units. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims 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 used as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity 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 utilizing jatropha curcas as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in big quantities in wastelands all across India needing extremely little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of several years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and assistance in reduction of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking actions to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides jatropha curcas, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from veggie oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil need to also be explored. It will not only supply a response to the difficulty of Global Warming however might decrease our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.