The non-renewability, ecological issues and health dangers associated with the fossil fuels has resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the method 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 etc can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum however can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure form.

Developed countries especially United States and European Countries have actually already made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its usage across industries and verticals and might emerge as a perfect cleaner and cheaper option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise begun exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to typical petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not require any different facilities for its storage and can be kept similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the country, rising petroleum costs and the environmental threats of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually used up initiatives 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 satisfy 20% of India's diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, 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 raw material is that this plant can be grown in big quantities in wastelands all across India requiring very little water in contrast to other cash crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of numerous years. The Jatropha seeds consist of 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the jatropha curcas growing in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create 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 curcas in India providing totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now enhance 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 ought to also be explored. It will not only supply an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.