8/14/2019 July 2008 Edition Avant Garde: Monthly E-Newsletter

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July 2008 EditionAvant Garde: Monthly e-Newsletter of IIT

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Biodiesel: An idea whose time has come

Neeraj Kumar Ojha

Biodiesel, a novel concept of turning crops into fuel for transport, is gaining importance these days. This

week the iconic head of Virgin Atlantic, Sir Richard Branson, demonstrated the first successful test-flight

of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet aircraft that was partly powered by a biofuel mixture of coconut and babassu

oil. Both developed and developing nations are showing firm resolves to increase the biodiesel

consumption and reduce their dependence on fossil-fuels. In Montana, Hawaii and Minnesota government

has made it mandatory that all fossil-fuel must contain 10% renewable fuel. Germany which is credited to

be the most bio-fuelled nation in Europe has made a legal obligation for refiners to blend a certain proportion of biofuel. In India things are no less encouraging. Mahindra & Mahindra has already

launched 100 per cent bio-diesel driven SUV Scorpio and Bolero along with a tractor powered by five per

cent bio-fuel.

So, the first question that strikes is the cost effectiveness of biodiesel. Researchers have found that if the

price of crude oil is more than US$ 50 per barrel, then any food material can be economically converted

into biodiesel. Seeing the crude oil prices, which is varying between US$ 90 and $100 per barrel, this is

high time to consider production of biodiesel on a mass scale. Biodiesel has other advantages too. It will

boost our trade balance by reducing our dependence on oil imports. This sector will create massive

employment opportunities. The use of biodiesel will reduce the emission of pollutants like carbon

monoxide, un-burnt hydrocarbons, particulate matter and sulphur. Field tests have proved that for every

ton of petrol or diesel substituted by biodiesel, the net emitted carbon dioxide is reduced by about 3 tons.

Government of India has come up with National Biodiesel Mission which aims to produce sufficient

biodiesel to meet 20 per cent of the countrys diesel requirements by 2011-12. As with other government

policies, this one is also overambitious and a bit unrealistic to achieve. The amount of biodiesel required

for 20% blending would be around 13.4 million tons. At this time the biodiesel industry in India is in theincubation stage with only two to three companies going for commercial production. India plans to

produce biodiesel from Jatropha curcas because the crop can be grown on any type of soil (even

wasteland) and in areas of low rainfall (500 to 1000 mm per year). Also oil yield per hectare of Jatropha

curcas is among the highest of tree borne oil seeds. However, there are certain problems in getting the

biodiesel program rolling in our country. The biggest constraint is lack of availability of raw materials,

http://www.google.co.in/url?q=http://www.iitk.ac.in/ime/MBA_IITK/avantgarde/agteam.html&ei=rP2JS7alGsGzrAfu9826Cg&sa=X&oi=nshc&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CAgQzgQoAQ&usg=AFQjCNE52emt922QGThiKC2HxIPPAbmYMwhttp://www.google.co.in/url?q=http://www.iitk.ac.in/ime/MBA_IITK/avantgarde/agteam.html&ei=rP2JS7alGsGzrAfu9826Cg&sa=X&oi=nshc&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CAgQzgQoAQ&usg=AFQjCNE52emt922QGThiKC2HxIPPAbmYMw

8/14/2019 July 2008 Edition Avant Garde: Monthly E-Newsletter

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July 2008 EditionAvant Garde: Monthly e-Newsletter of IIT

Kanpur

i.e., Jatropha curcas seeds. Farmers dont consider Jatropha cultivation remunerative enough. They make

an average earning of Rs 20,000/ha from Jatropha crops as compared to Rs. 70,000/ha from sugarcane

plantation. The government needs to take some confidence-building measures. Like sugarcane, a

minimum support price for Jatropha should be fixed and farmers should be assured of buy-back

arrangements. Andhra Pradesh government has taken the lead in Biodiesel program by allocating some 7

lakh hectare of cultivable wasteland land for Jatropha plantation. Emami group is planning to set up a bio-

diesel plant at Haldia, at cost of Rs 1.5 billion.

Malaysia and Indonesia have created successful biodiesel industry with palm-oil as raw material.

Indonesia's palm-oil industry gives employment to about 1.5 million people. In Malaysia the industry has

grown to the extent that Biodiesel is now becoming an important export item. Japan and some European

Union countries are already placing orders for Malaysian biodiesel. Biodiesel industry when properly

groomed will solve a multitude of our problems- create massive employment opportunities, reduce fossil-fuel dependence, boost trade balances and last but not the least save our environment from irreparable

damage done by fossil fuels. I see no reasons that this industry will not thrive in India.

http://www.google.co.in/url?q=http://www.iitk.ac.in/ime/MBA_IITK/avantgarde/agteam.html&ei=rP2JS7alGsGzrAfu9826Cg&sa=X&oi=nshc&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CAgQzgQoAQ&usg=AFQjCNE52emt922QGThiKC2HxIPPAbmYMwhttp://www.google.co.in/url?q=http://www.iitk.ac.in/ime/MBA_IITK/avantgarde/agteam.html&ei=rP2JS7alGsGzrAfu9826Cg&sa=X&oi=nshc&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=2&ved=0CAgQzgQoAQ&usg=AFQjCNE52emt922QGThiKC2HxIPPAbmYMw