Bio-diesel may become a significant part of the transition from petroleum to electricity by easing the pain of insufficient oil production.  This article lays out the advantages from the perspective of India, including better performance in the engine and ecological benefits.  There is no reason that all oil importing countries may not reach similar conclusions as soon as the technologies are in place.

Md Jamilur Rahman, 21 February 2008, Thursday

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It is time we switched over to bio-diesel, the fuel of the future. The earlier it is done, the better. After all, our trade deficit is courtesy oil imports. When we have the requisite infrastructure and human resources why delay the switch-over?

BIO-DIESEL is diesel made from animate source (using plant oil and animal fats). Bio-diesel is basically comprised of short-alkyl esters, made from animal fats and plant seeds. But these days, bio-diesel is mostly derived from oils or fats of plants like jatropa, sunflower, canola, rapeseed, soybean, etc. We have chosen jatropa carcus as an important source along with many succulent plants because it is a drought-resistant perennial plant, which grows well even on infertile land. The seeds contain oil to the extent of around 37 per cent. It burns smoke-free. It was tested in the beginning of the bio-diesel era as fuel on simple diesel engines and found to be satisfactory.

In the nineties, the energy crisis was milder. It aggravated after the first Gulf War. Many other wars, history records, have been on account of oil. Oil-producing countries are few but every country wants oil. Saddam Hussein captured Kuwait only for oil. US invasion followed, which resulted in Hussein setting fire to the Kuwaiti oil fields. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided that since oil production in Kuwait had fallen as a result, they would increase their oil supply and stabilise the oil market. Fire had reduced the oil output until repairs were completed. Oil hit a record USD 40.42 per barrel during this crisis.

If you have lately watched news channels commenting on the northward-bound oil price, you may have wondered whether there is any way out of this. USA crossed all barriers in search of oil, zeroed in on the Gulf and captured one country after the other, under some pretext or the other. It was Iraq first and Iran may be next in line. Recently, Chavez told delegates at a conference, “If the United States attempts the madness of invading Iran or attacking Venezuela again, the price of oil is probably going to reach $ 200, not just $ 100.” If it happens, imagine where would a country like India, which is import-dependent as far as oil is concerned, stand?

As we all know, with the economy exploding in developing countries like India, consumption of oil has been increasing on a daily basis. Diesel, petrol and other mineral oils are being used as sources of energy since their discovery; as a result, their reserves have been dwindling with the passage of time because these are non-renewable sources of energy. Keeping this in mind, scientists have been working diligently to devise a solution. Bio-Diesel could be a potential solution.

Why should we switch over to bio-diesel?

• Bio-diesel is biodegradable, non-toxic, easy to use and free of sulphur, which would be detrimental to our respiratory system once released into the atmosphere. 

• It acts as a substitute for the fast depleting fossil fuels (mineral oils), as it is a renewable source of energy.

• It helps exploit wastelands by planting jatropa and other succulent plants. Thousands of acres of wasteland can be exploited for economic development. 

• It can reduce unemployment and hence generate breadwinners.

Bio-diesel vs mineral oils

Bio-diesel can be domestically produced and is a renewable alternative fuel. It is a high octane fuel, which optimises engine performance. As a lubricant bio-diesel is superior to petroleum / diesel. Hence it increases the life of the engine. A healthy engine reduces noise pollution. Noise pollution breaks the tympanic membranes leading to loss of hearing. Another advantage of bio-diesel could be reduced decibel levels - planting jatropa could reduce noise levels occasioned by polluted environment.

The global warming context: The combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas has raised the carbon dioxide content in the earth’s atmosphere, giving rise to global warming; but the energy obtained from biomass does not give rise to such a consequence. High content of carbon dioxide in lower atmospheric layer leads to a leakage in the Ozone layer that shields us from ultra violet rays. The combustion of fuels including fuels based on biomass releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide released during combustion is absorbed by the growing plants (jatropa). It also reduces carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emission as it burns completely. The Ozone depletion threat posed by bio-diesel is 50 per cent less compared to that posed by standard diesel; it substantially reduces un-burnt hydrocarbons and particulate matter in exhaust fumes.

Alternative to harmful fuels: Petroleum, diesel and gasoline are blends of hundreds of different hydrocarbon chains. Many of these such as benzene, toluene and xylene are highly toxic and volatile compounds; they are responsible for environmental pollution and lead to several chronic diseases. Bio-diesel, on the other hand, can provide an eco-friendly environment. Hence it is high time India embraced bio-diesel as an alternative source of energy. It needs infrastructure and human resources to design the methodology and plan. Fortunately India has both. Our government should chalk out plans and implement a few pilot projects. By maximizing the use of bio-diesel, we can reduce the import of several million tons of crude oil from OPEC. In the process, not only can we save several cores of rupees but also breathe clean, fresh air. As a greener and cheaper source of energy in the near future, bio-diesel could show the way forward and help us meet future demand.

Tags: energy investments

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