Biodiesel Production: Agricultural and Economical Aspect in India

The production of biodiesel attracts attention from scientists and researchers as of its tremendous applications and commercial use. It becomes important as of its eco-friendly nature, too, as it is biodegradable and non-polluting. The advantages of using petro-diesel with biodiesel lie in diminishing air pollution, encouraging the domestic supply of fuel, and creating new opportunities in agriculture. The production of biodiesel provides an alternative for agriculture as well as the industry. Focusing on short-duration annual crops that can generate fuel and oil seed crops provides numerous opportunities for small farmers. The intention of biodiesel concerns for creation and fortification of the environment. It is economically beneficial in several ways, namely by creating new jobs in the food and farming industries. Biodiesel fuel is eco-friendly and replaces petro-diesel. Previous studies showed that pollutants such as CO, CO₂, SO_x, HC, PAH, PM, and others can be reduced by using blended and pure biodiesel. However, the emission of NO_x increases by using biodiesel. Biodiesel also provides a means to recycle CO₂ which is mainly responsible for global warming. Biodiesel has been produced using plant oils such as Jatropha oil, Cottonseed oil, Pongamia oil, Palm oils, Rapeseed oil, and Castor oil. Such oils are converted to biodiesel through transesterification. We investigated the potential of Jatropha oil as a source of biodiesel. Biodiesel has become an eco-friendly and alternative fuel with many aspects in industrial use. When the use of biodiesel becomes more popular than petroleum fuel, the supply must be sufficient to meet daily needs. Therefore, the presented review article describes production, properties, agricultural benefits, marketing, and the prospect of biodiesel.