The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health hazards related to the fossil fuels has caused exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels obtained from veggie oil or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel engines. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha 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 specifically United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually discovered its usage throughout markets and verticals and could become a perfect cleaner and cheaper option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise started exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A number of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the nation where veggie oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol normally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing need for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are sustainable and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines simply like normal petroleum diesel and for this reason can be used with little or no engine adjustments. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be stored similar to the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy demand in the nation, increasing petroleum prices and the ecological threats of nonrenewable fuel sources, the Indian Government has actually used up efforts to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which aims to meet 20% of India's diesel need with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible veggie oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are utilized as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the maximum potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The biggest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all throughout India requiring extremely little water in comparison to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life expectancy of several decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an excellent source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha growing in the country. India now

A study estimates 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 produce around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and assistance in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India offering free seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now its efforts to make the max usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be checked out. It will not just provide a response to the challenge of Global Warming but might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.