India is home to a billion people, about a sixth of the world human population. The process of economic liberalisation and the 'opening up' set in motion in early 1990s have resulted in India's approximately 300 million strong middle class becoming increasingly exposed to the world market of consumer goods. In fact India, with a GDP of about USD 475 billion, is already the fifth largest economy in the world based on Purchasing Power Parity according to World Bank figures and a major future market. Seventy two percent of India's people live in rural areas and about 70% earn their livelihood from agriculture.
One factor that has decelerated India's rate of economic development is the need to import about 70% of its petroleum demand.

Wildly fluctuating world prices of oil have been a destabilising element for the country's balance of payments situation, particularly in recent times. The petroleum import bill is currently about 13 billion dollars (about 30% of total import bill) compared to the current trade deficit of about USD 11 billion. The current yearly consumption of diesel oil in India is approximately 40 million tonnes forming about 40% of the total petroleum product consumption. The ongoing economic expansion (GDP growth is currently about 5%) would increase the demand for transportation fuel in short and medium term at high rates. India's developmental objectives base themselves on economic models that require a per capita consumption of fuel oil several fold higher than current Indian consumption levels. The environmental problems that might crop up from such increased fuel consumption also need to be taken into account.

Even with all the progress that it has achieved over the past years there is still the problem of poverty and underdevelopment, with about 35% of the total population still under the poverty line. Declining agricultural productivity, and lack of mobility and proper access for produce of remote areas to major markets have compounded the problem.
Indiscriminate land use over several years has resulted in extensive degradation of agricultural land in the country. Of the estimated 130 million hectares of wasteland in India about 33 million hectares are available for reclamation through tree plantation according to Planning Commission of India figures.

Production of bio-diesel from Jatropha plantations hold potential for at least partly remedying these stated problems. Jatropha curcas plants grow on poor degraded soils and are able to ensure a reasonable production of seeds with very little inputs. It is not grazed by animals and is highly pest and disease resistant. Time taken for nut yield is between 2 and 5 years based on soil and rainfall conditions. Yields vary from 0.5 to 12 t/yr based on soil and rainfall conditions (Makkar and Becker, 1999). An average seed production of about 5 tonnes per hectare can be expected under optimum conditions. The seeds contain 55-60% oil that can be converted into bio-diesel by transesterification. A yield of 0.75 to 2 tonnes of bio-diesel could be expected per hectare per year from the fifth year onwards (Fiodl and Eder, 1997). Jatropha plantations yield over long periods of time.

Some important parameters of raw and transesterified Jatropha oil

The parameters of Jatropha bio-diesel presented here are similar to the bio-diesel from rapeseed oil, currently widely used in Europe. Bio-diesel could be used in any automobile brand which has been approved for its use by the manufacturers without any modification to the engine or accessories.

Important advantages of using bio-diesel

• The higher cetane number of bio-diesel compared to petro-diesel indicates potential for higher engine performance. Tests have shown that bio-diesel has similar or better fuel consumption, horsepower, and torque and haulage rates as conventional diesel

• The superior lubricating properties of bio-diesel increases functional engine efficiency

• Their higher flash point makes them safer to store.

• The bio-diesel molecules are simple hydrocarbon chains, containing no sulfur, or aromatic substances associated with fossil fuels.

• They contain higher amount oxygen (up to 10%) that ensures more complete combustion of hydrocarbons .

• Bio-diesel almost completely eliminates lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions. When compared to petro-diesel it reduces emission of particulate matter by 40%, unburned hydrocarbons by 68%, carbon monoxide by 44%, sulphates by 100%, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by 80%, and the carcinogenic nitrated PAHs by 90% on an average. The use of bio-diesel complements the working of the
  catalysator and can help a current EURO-1 motor attain the EURO-111 standards.

Jatropha plantations provide the following benefits in addition

• Fixation of up to 10 t/ha/yr CO2 that could be internationally traded.

• Production of 1 t/ ha/yr of high protein seed cake (60% crude protein) that can be potentially used as animal and fish feeds and organic matter that could be used as organic fertilizer particularly in remote areas.

• Various other products from the plant (leaf, bark and seed extracts) have various other industrial and pharmaceutical uses (Heller, 1996).

• Localised production and availability of quality fuel.

• Restoration of degraded land over a period of time.

• Rural employment generation.

• Comparatively equitable benefit distribution.

What are Biofuels ?

•  Renewable fuels from bio sources

•   Include
  -         Ethanol
  -         Biodiesel
  -         Bio-hydrogen
  -         Biogas.

Why Biofuels?  

• SUSTAINABILITY

• POLLUTION THREAT

• REDUCTION OF GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

• REGIONAL (RURAL) DEVELOPMENT

• SOCIAL STRUCTURE & AGRICULTURE

• SECURITY OF SUPPLY.

FIRST USE OF PEANUT OIL IN 1895 BY DR RUDLOF DIESEL

•   The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time.

WORLD EXPERIENCE ON BIODIESEL

BIODIESEL IN EUROPE  

• Biodiesel has been produced on an industrial scale in EU since 1992, largely in response to positive signals from the EU institutions.
• In 2001, it is estimated that some twenty plants produced around 1 million tonnes, mainly in
       -         Austria,
  -         Belgium,
  -         France,
  -         Germany,
  -         Italy,
  -         Sweden.

EU TARGETS FOR BIOFUEL

* Biodiesel growth : 25%/Year  
* Germany/Austria-no tax, UK 20% lower tax  
* Other Counties 0-10% of diesel Tax  

US Lead – A Senate Report

• Analyze the agricultural sector and macroeconomic impacts of the Hagal-Johnson renewable energy bill (S.1006)
• Requires a minimum percentage of motor vehicle fuel sold in the U.S. must be renewable fuel.
• 8% in 2002 to 5% by 2012 ( Now May be 8% )
• Renewable fuels are biodiesel, ethanol or fuel produced from biomass and biogas.

 

BIODIESEL vs OTHER ALTERNATE FUELS
	DIESEL	CNG	LNG	METHANOL	ETHANOL	BIODIESEL
Vehicle cost	10	5	5	5	5	10
Infrastructure	10	2	5	5	5	10
Safety	7	4	3	1	3	8
Operating range	10	5	10	10	10	10
Operating cost	10	5	7	5	5	7
Reliability	10	7	5	3	3	10
Customer-    acceptance	5	8	8	8	9	8
Funding- assistance	1	10	2	0	2	2
Training cost	10	5	5	5	5	10
Fuel availability	10