The rapid increasing demand of energy, fastly depleting fossil resources, huge dependence on import were some of the significant observations of Indian energy scenario. To add to it there is always some crisis in the gulf which either adds to the fuel cost or hinders supplies. Among many alternatives to cope up with such a situation, one is biodiesel. It is a non-toxic, biodegradable diesel fuel made from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled oil and fats. The fats are chemically converted to biodiesel by the process called transesterification. Biodiesel when used as a pure fuel is called B100.

Transesterification: It is a process of using Methyl Alcohol with a hydroxide to break molecule of raw renewable oil into methyl ester (Biodiesel) of renewable oil with glycerol as the bi product and then blended with diesel.

Advantages:

1. Higher flash point making it safe for storage.
2. Higher cetane number i.e. better probability of ignition.
3. Non/ Less Cariogenic and less pollution and is environment friendly.
4. Good lubricant and hence increases the life of an engine.
5. It reduces GHG gases.

Experiments in India

* In USA usually rape seed oil and Soya-bean oil while in India mostly non edible oils like neem, maluha etc. are used.
* Shatabadi was run from Delhi to Amritsar using B5 (5% Biodiesel).
* Mercedes Benz C22D CDI was test run using Biodiesel.
* In July 2002 Planning Commission constituted a committee for development of biofuels which recommended the creation of biodiesel mission.
* In October 2005, the Union Ministry of Petroleum and natural gas announced biodiesel policy from January 2006.
* A cell has been created as the Biodiesel Board to coordinate Jatropha cultivation and biodiesel production with target upto 5 lakh tons.