The bio-diesel becomes an attractive proposition when oil prices are higher than the cost of vegetable oils as they can be used to directly replace petroleum derived products.

JATROPHA BUSINESS IN INDIA

Introduction

The world reserve of fossil fuel or Petroleum fuel resources are finite and therefore search for alternative fuel is continuing all over the world. Moreover ever increasing consumption of fossil fuel and petroleum products has been a matter of concern for the country for huge out-go of foreign exchange on the one hand and increasing emission causing environmental hazards on the other. Public at large are raising their concerns over the declining state of environment and health. With domestic crude oil output stagnating , the momentum of growth experienced a quantum jump since 1990s when the economic reforms were introduced paving the way for a much higher rate of development leading the demand for oil to continue to rise at an ever increasing pace.

‘Energy Independence ' is one of the vital areas to make India a developed nation. Among different types of energy sources bio-energy through plant is considered very promising because of its renewable nature. The situation offers us a challenge as well as an opportunity to look for substitutes of fossil fuels for both economic and environmental benefits to the country. Development of bio-fuels as an alternative and renewable source of energy for transportation has become essential in the national effort towards maximum self-reliance – the corner stone of our energy security strategy. International experience has demonstrated the advantages of using ethanol and bio-diesel as automotive fuel.