FEASIBLITY OF BIOFUELS IN NEPAL

Any liquid produced from the extraction of biomass resources through physico- chemical conversion process, and that has high inflammable characteristics is known as liquid biofuel. These include oil extracted plant seeds, and ethanol or methanol extracted from forest products or sugarcane. The following types of liquid biofuels can be produced in Nepal:
Ethanol has been in use for several decades in countries such as Brazil and

recent years, its use is increasing in South Asia as well. As Nepal has several sugar factories that produce large amount of molasses, which is an excellent raw material for ethanol production, and Nepal does not have any domestic source of petrol, blending domestically produced ethanol with imported petrol is a very attractive option.
Biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters made from vegetables oils, most

commonly Jatropha curcas, animal fat or recycled greases. As plant oil is usually viscous in nature, trans-esterification (process of removing the heavy particles) using alcohol (ethanol or methanol) is required to convert the triglycerides and fatty acids into alkyl ester or biodiesel. Biodiesel can be used directly in diesel engines or mixed with diesel to lower the demand for diesel and also reduce levels of particulates, hydrocarbons, and air toxins in diesel exhaust. Unprocessed plant oil can be used for operating static engines.
Bio-hydrocarbon or biokerosene can be produced by distilling pine resin to

produce turpentine, which can be used as a substitute of kerosene. Although this has about 5 percent less heat content than kerosene, it can be used in normal kerosene stove. Some experiment has indicated that oil extracted from seeds of Jatropha curcas can also be used as a substitute of kerosene in traditional lamps (tukis) and stoves. Surendra bam surendra_bam777@yahoo.com