The non-renewability, environmental concerns and health risks associated with the fossil fuels has resulted in exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the standard ones. A promising technology, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is . Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from grease or animal-fat that could be used to run diesel motors. 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 use or might be used in its pure kind.

Developed countries particularly United States and European Countries have currently made considerable advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have found its use across industries and verticals and could emerge as a perfect cleaner and less expensive option to fuel, diesel and nonrenewable fuel sources. India has also started checking out the chances to produce and utilize bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are currently functioning in the nation where vegetable oils are responded with alcohols (ethanol or methanol generally) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the truth that biodiesels are renewable and carbon-neutral, therefore having no net effect on the environment. Besides, bio-diesel runs in compression engines much like regular petroleum diesel and thus can be utilized with little or no engine adjustments. 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 country, increasing petroleum prices and the ecological hazards of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has actually taken up initiatives to develop the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing units. The Government announced 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 vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The greatest advantage of using Jatropha as a raw material is that this plant can be grown in huge amounts in wastelands all across India requiring really little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a helpful lifespan of several decades. The Jatropha seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an outstanding 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 estimates that even if a mixing effort of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is achieved in 2011-12, India will conserve around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will generate 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 actions to encourage the cultivation of jatropha curcas in India providing free seeds, subsidized loans and other centers. India needs to now strengthen 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 need to also be checked out. It will not just offer a response to the difficulty of Global Warming however might decrease our reliance on foreign oil and add to our own economy.