Bio-fuels in India: The Practical Approach

Bio-fuels in India: The Practical Approach

In today's world of skyrocketing energy demands, India stands as one of the largest petroleum consuming and importing countries. India imports about 70 % of its petroleum demands and the current yearly consumption of diesel oil is approximately 40 million tonnes. About 40% of this 40 million tonnes constitutes petro-product consumption. Given this magnitude of consumption and the rate at which it has been increasing over the past decade, alternative sources of energy have become a necessity for the country and even the world.

One such sources of alternative energy take the form of bio-diesel. Bio-diesel is a clean burning fuel and since it is produced from renewable resources, it is also a sustainable option. Bio-diesel is a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel which is usually made by chemically reacting lipids (e.g. vegetable oil, animal fat (tallow)) with an alcohol. Bio-diesel doesn't contain any petroleum but it can be mixed with it to create various bio-diesel blends. It can also be directly used in diesel engines with minimum modifications. Bio-diesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar.

Energy security is a matter of strategic concern for all countries around the world, driving not only economic policies but diplomatic initiatives as well. Rising crude oil prices coupled with the problem global warming make a more than compelling case for the need for the development of alternative sources of energy. In the Indian context, the dependence is only expected to grow as the country proceeds on its growth trajectory. Development of bio-diesel as a substitute for fossil diesel will not only help the country attain energy security and protect the environment, but also generate rural employment.

Jatropha is one of the most widely used plants for bio-diesel production in India. It has been identified as a best possible source, largely because the plant is grown across the country and requires little maintenance. It also has a high yield of 40% oil, which makes it very cost-effective.

Despite large scale availability of Jatropha in India, the use of bio-diesel in the country remains limited. However, steps are being taken, both by the government and private players, to popularise it. Earth-100 Biofuels* is one such company to take note of. It has set a precedent for others by being the first company to provide a commercial fleet running on 100% biofuels. (*www.earth-100.com)

Earth-100 provides fully integrated green solutions which involves modified cars, green fuel, dispensing solution, servicing and maintenance, performance tracking and quality testing. The company's customer base basically constitutes of corporates who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint by operating a green fleet which is provided by Earth 100. By doing so, they aim to "....contribute to job creation, environmental protection, implementation of the companies' green initiatives and wasteland utilization without jeopardizing the food production and supply".

In addition, the government of India has shown significant interest to encourage alternative energy sources for transportation, such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and bio diesel.

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