The non-renewability, environmental issues and health dangers connected with the fossil fuels has caused expedition of alternative sources of energy to replace the traditional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could reveal us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from vegetable oil or animal-fat that could be utilized 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 blended with petroleum diesel for use or could be utilized in its pure form.

Developed nations especially United States and European Countries have currently made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its usage throughout markets and verticals and might emerge as an ideal cleaner and cheaper option to gas, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise started exploring the chances to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently working in the country where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol usually) to produce bio-diesel.

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

Considering the growing energy need in the country, rising petroleum prices and the environmental hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has used up efforts to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and established more oil processing systems. The Government revealed its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends 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 used as the pre-dominant raw products for oil processing and biodiesel production however 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 as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in substantial quantities in wastelands all throughout India needing extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a useful life-span of numerous decades. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has recognized 400,000 square kilometres of land suitable for the Jatropha growing in the . India now

A research study estimates that even if a blending effort of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 motivate the cultivation of Jatropha in India providing complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India needs to now reinforce its efforts to make the max use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the opportunities for drawing out biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must also be explored. It will not just supply a response to the difficulty of Global Warming however could decrease our dependence on foreign oil and add to our own economy.