The non-renewability, environmental issues and health hazards associated with the nonrenewable fuel sources has led to expedition of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is . Biodiesels are diesel fuels derived from grease or animal-fat that could be used 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 includes no petroleum however can be combined with petroleum diesel for usage or might be utilized in its pure kind.

Developed nations specifically United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have discovered its use across markets and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and cheaper alternative to fuel, diesel and fossil fuels. India has likewise begun checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already working in the nation where vegetable oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the reality that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, hence having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like normal petroleum diesel and hence can be used with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any separate infrastructure for its storage and can be kept simply like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the environmental dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to establish 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, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant raw materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal potential to produce biodiesels is from Jatropha oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest benefit of using jatropha curcas as a raw product is that this plant can be grown in big quantities in wastelands all across India requiring extremely little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful life-span of a number of decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are thought about to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has determined 400,000 square kilometres of land appropriate for the Jatropha cultivation in the country. India now

A study approximates that even if a blending initiative of 2% Jatropha based Biodiesel is attained in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will produce 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 government is taking steps to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India providing totally free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum use of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be explored. It will not just offer an answer to the obstacle of Global Warming but might reduce our dependence on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.