Top Her Up With Jatropha With several commercial trials showing encouraging results, biodiesel may be the next big thing in fuelThis could be the beginning of another green revolution. Only, it won't be in agriculture. Instead, it has the potential to change the energy landscape of India, as well as other crude-deficient, yet oil-guzzling economies.
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Biodiesel is a natural oil that's taken out of several non-edible oil-bearing plants. It undergoes organic and chemical processes to yield fatty acid esters, or a diesel-like product, which can be blended with normal diesel.
Experts predict that, like ethanol, biodiesel can be used mixing it with anything.
In India, the focus is on a wild plant, Jatropha Curcas, which can grow in most places since it requires little water and fertiliser, can survive on infertile soils, and is not eaten by cattle. It's also pest-resistant and has a high-seed yield that continues to be produced for 30-40 years. The seeds are crucial here, for they have a high oil content of 35-40 per cent and the kernels an even higher 50-60 per cent. IOC's R&D wing at Faridabad, Haryana, is also exploring the possibilities of doping diesel with oil extracts from mahua, karanjia, sunflower and rapeseed.
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