Global interest in biofuels has risen sharply over the past decade. Not only are biofuels important from the point of view of emissions reduction, but they also address the questions of long-term fuel availability and sustainability. While solar, wind and nuclear are promising options, biofuels are expressly suited to the global transport fleet and are thus the focus of increasingly dedicated research.

The Indian biofuels sector, and specially the output of biodiesel, has been through a series of ups and downs since the mid-90s. While the country still holds immense potential for quality biodiesel output, production has been far from adequate. Of late, due to uncompetitive prices of production and patchy feedstock supplies, several Indian manufacturers have had to shut shop or resort to alternatives to sustain themselves.

The country also lacks extensive studies on the sector and on strategies to harness the full potential of the various kinds of raw materials. Concentrated efforts on the kind of equipment to be employed and the production processes also need to be made to assist the revival of Indian biodiesel volumes.

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