Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Comparison of Jatropha Biodiesel with Other Diesel
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 2:08 AM 0 Comments
Biofuels Revolution - Jatropha
Jatropha curcas is a non-food crop that can grow in wastelands and it is said to yield more than four times as much fuel per hectare as soybean, and more than ten times that of corn. It could be one of the most promising sources of biodiesel. However, a lot of questions have been raised on the sustainability of Jatropha as an alternative energy source for many people around the world. Jatropha defenders use to show just the possible advantages ....
Info here
posted by Sudha @ 1:57 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha's Various Names
Punjabi & Gujarati - Is named as Jamalgota and Kalaerand.
Telgu -It called as Nepalamu, Paddanepalamu, Adaveeyamidamu.
Tamil -It is Kadalamanukku, Ratamannukku.
Kannada -It is addressed as Adalubaralu, Bettadaharalu, Marahalu, Karnochchi.
Oriya -Jahanzigaba, Kattavannakka, Kadhalvannakka.
Assamee -Bongalibhotora.
English -It is Physicnut (Jatropha curcas is the botanical name)
Read more info(PDF) hereposted by Sudha @ 1:40 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Seeds Poisoning
At least 14 schoolboys fell ill after consuming seeds of Jatropha shrubs growing in the premises of Bil Village Primary School, during recess.
The children started showing signs of food poisoning towards the end of school hours, when one class III student started vomiting. When 13 others started showing similar signs, the 108 service was called for help. Children along with their parents and teachers were sent to Sir Sayajirao General Hospital (SSGH).
According to Dr Uma Naik, who is attending to the children at SSGH, the children were given drips and vomiting was controlled immediately. "The teachers, parents and the children said they had consumed seeds of Ratan Jot or Jatropha plant and fallen sick," said Dr Naik.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 1:25 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha harmful for kids
Unfortunately, jatropha seeds are liked by children and cases of accidental feeding have been reported from several countries. In the past few months, hundreds of cases have been reported from different parts of India. In Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh), over 50 children were recently hospitalised due to jatropha poisoning, the scientist said.
The ongoing large-scale jatropha plantation is becoming a curse for rural children. Two of its seeds are like a strong purgative. Four to five seeds can cause death, warned Oudhia, who is also affiliated to the Medicinal Plant Working Group, North America.
Jatropha is considered a wonder plant that produces seeds with an oil content of 37 percent. The oil can be combusted as fuel without being refined. Experts say jatropha is a hardy plant, which can also be grown in wastelands.
Several Indian states have been cultivating jatropha on a mass-scale to extract bio-diesel to replace high cost fossil fuel. Chhattisgarh has planted about 400 million saplings in wastelands over the last couple of years, said S.K. Shukla, executive director of Chhattisgarh Bio-fuel Development Authority.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 1:19 AM 0 Comments
Costs in Jatropha Plantation
Employment Generation and Costs in Jatropha Plantation
(Current currency rate 1US$ = Rs. 47.50)
| S.No | Item | Cost (Rs.) | Employment in person days | ||
| Year | Year | ||||
| Ist | IInd | Ist | IInd | ||
| 1 | Site preparation i.e. cleaning and levelling of field - 10 Man Days | 600 | | 10 | |
| 2 | Alignment and staking, 5 Man Days | 300 | | | |
| 3 | Digging of pits (2500 Nos) of 30 Cm3 size @ 30 pits per Man Day, 50 Man Days | 3,000 | | 50 | |
| 4 | Cost of Manure (including transport) 2 Kg. per pits during 1st year (2 MT) 1 Kg. per pit during second year onwards @ Rs. 400/MT | 2,000 | | 20 | |
| 5 | Cost of fertilizer @ Rs. 6 per kg (50 gm. Per plant during 1st year and 25 gm from 2nd year onward and 2 Man Days for each application. | 870 | 495 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | Mixing of Manure, insecticides fertilizers and refilling of pits @100 pits per Man Day 25 Man Days | 1,500 | | 25 | |
| 7 | Cost of plants (including carriage) 2500 Nos. during first year and 500 Nos. of plants during second year for replanting @ Rs. 4 per plant. | 10,000 | 2,000 | 100 | 20 |
| 8 | Planting and replanting cost 100 plants per Man Day.- 25 Man Days and 5 Man Days, respectively | 1,500 | 300 | 25 | 5 |
| 9 | Irrigation - 3 irrigation during 1st and one irrigation during 2nd year @ Rs. 500/- per irrigation. | 1,500 | 500 | 5 | 2 |
| 10 | Weeding and soil working 10 Man Days. x 2 times for 2 years | 1,200 | 1,200 | 20 | 20 |
| 11 | Plant protection measure | 300 | | 1 | |
| Sub total | 22,770 | 4,495 | 263 | 48 | |
| Contingency (approx. 10% of the above) | 2,230 | 505 | | | |
| Grand Total | 25,000 | 5,000 | 263 | 48 | |
Labels: Jatropha-Cost
posted by Sudha @ 1:16 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Plantations are doing well in India
Jatropha Plantations are doing well in India due to 4 reasons:
1.
2. Most of the farming in
3. In
4. The prices of Petroleum Products in
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 1:12 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Other Uses
- Jatropha aconitifolia, leaves of this tree were boiled and eaten by the Maya.
- Jatropha cuneata, stems are used for basket making in
- Jatropha curcas, also called physic nut, is used to produce the non-edible Jatropha oil, for making candles and soap, and as an ingredient in the production of biodiesel. The trees produce 1600 liters of oil per hectare. The cakes remaining after the oil is pressed out can be used for cooking, for fertilizing, and sometimes even as animal fodder, while the seed husks can be used to fuel generators. Large plantings and nurseries of this tree have been undertaken in
- Jatropha gossypifolia, also called bellyache bush, its fruits and foliage are toxic to humans and animals. It is a major weed in
- Jatropha podagrica, was used to tan leather and produce a red dye in
Labels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 1:05 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha: Biodiesel in India
Jatropha the wonder plant produces seeds with an oil content of 37%. The oil can be combusted as fuel without being refined. It burns with clear smoke-free flame, tested successfully as fuel for simple diesel engine. The by-products are press cake a good organic fertilizer, oil contains also insecticide.
Jatropha curcus is a drought-resistant perennial, growing well in marginal/poor soil. It is easy to establish, grows relatively quickly and lives, producing seeds for 50 years.
Medically it is used for diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis, dropsy etc. this is amazing! Jatropha grows wild in many areas of India and even thrives on infertile soil. A good crop can be obtained with little effort. Depending on soil quality and rainfall, oil can be extracted from the jatropha nuts after two to five years. The annual nut yield ranges from 0.5 to 12 tons. The kernels consist of oil to about 60 percent; this can be transformed into biodiesel fuel through esterification. Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 12:58 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Cultivate in Global - D1 Oils
November 11, 2007 (Hindu Business Line) - The UK-based global biodiesel producer D1 Oils plc — the world’s largest commercial jatropha cultivator — is targeting around 3.5 lakh hectares of jatropha plantations across India during the next four years, besides plans to invest in the setting up of downstream extraction units and necessary supply chain services in the country.
The company, which recently entered into a partnership with British Petroleum, expects to start producing up to 1,000 tonnes of crude jatropha oil in the country by as early as next year, the CEO of D1 Oils India Pvt Ltd, Mr Samiran Das, told Business Line.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Company
posted by Sudha @ 12:46 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha to provide 500,000 jobs in Chhattisgarh, India
Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has inked a pact with Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (Creda) this week to float a joint venture for jatropha plantations on a wide scale in the next 5-6 years, according to official sources here Wednesday. ‘No less than 500,000 people will get jobs across the state during the next 4-5 years due to these jatropha plantations,’ a senior Creda official told IANS. ‘The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between IOC and Creda Nov 19 here for a joint venture for massive jatropha plantations in the state would produce 300 tonnes of bio-fuel per day in the next 4-5 years.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 12:39 AM 0 Comments
Monday, December 29, 2008
Jatropha for soap making
Traditionally soap has been made from jatropha seeds. First, the shells are removed from the seeds. Then the cleaned white seeds are pounded in a mortar, then mixed with water and heated while stirring. After cooling, the soap is moulded balls for use or sale. The soap is popular, due to its cleansing and excellent dermatological properties. It is often used to treat minor skin problems, especially on children.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 11:04 PM 0 Comments
General Information regarding Jatropha
Scientific Name: Jatropha Curcas
English Name: Purging nut
Gujarati Name: Ratanjot, Mogali, Jangali Aerandi
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Avg. height: 3-4 m
Area under culti.: Waste land like…Salty soil,
hard land,
Climatic condition: It can grow any adverse condition
Sowing: June- July
Flowering time: End of monsoon
Sowing method: 1. Seed (2 X 1 m) 2-2.5 kg/ha
2. Cuttings (65-90 cm length)
Variety: Sardarkrushinagar bigger, Chhtrapati, Hansraj
Fertilizer: No need but if possible than apply 25 kg N/ha for better growth
Irrigation: No need but if possible than apply as per need
Harvesting and production: 1100 kg/ha seed in dry land after 4-5 year
6000 kg/ha seed in irrigated land after 5 year
Read more info(PDF) hereposted by Sudha @ 9:42 PM 0 Comments
Advantages of Jatropha Curcas
The plant is preferred compared to others due to advantages including:
- Low cost seeds;
- High oil content;
- Increased safety due to higher flash point;
- Small gestation period;
- Growth on good and degraded soil;
- Growth in low and high rainfall areas;
- Does not require special expertise to farm;
- Seeds can be harvested in non-rainy season;
- Plant size makes collection of seeds more convenient; and
- Multi-plant use including production of biodiesel, soap, mosquito repellent, and organic fertiliser.
posted by Sudha @ 9:29 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha as a Plantation Crop Advantages
- Easy to establish, grows quickly, hardy and require little care.
- It can grow in poor soils, in wastelands except flood prone and waterlogged areas. Reclamation of wasteland and degraded land is possible through its plantation. In fertile land it gives higher yields
- Plantation of Jatropha, oil extraction and nursery raising, can be rural based, hence promoter of rural economy besides ensuring energy security.
- It is suitable for preventing soil erosion including Jhum fallows.
- Jatropha is not a competitor of any crop rather it increases the yield.
- Due to mycorrhizal value in Jatropha roots it helps in getting phosphate from soil boon for acid soil.
- Improves the soil fertility throughout their life cycle.
- Possesses medicinal as well as other multiple uses.
- Generate net income for 30-35 years @ approx. Rs. 10,000 / ac/year from 4th year.
- Providing local jobs, lessening the need for local villagers to migrate to cities to find employment.
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 9:13 PM 0 Comments
Challenges To Jatropha’s Commercial Viability
1) Jatropha oil is hydroscopic - absorbs water and needs nitrogen blanketing on steel tanks. One issue that is quite clear is because Jatropha is high in acid; it has the tendency to degrade quickly, particularly if not handled properly through the supply chain.
2) Right from the time of expelling, the oil needs to be kept in storage conditions that prevent undue degradation. Exposure to air and moisture must be minimized - hence the need for nitrogen blanketing on the tanks.
3) The range of fatty acids present in the various seeds will differ but the oil and biodiesel that is produced must be acceptable. However, this assumes that that oil is fully degummed. The degumming may well be more of a problem than making biodiesel!
4) The phospholipid, protein and phorbol ester contents in edible Jatropha seem to be quite different compared to these contents in non-edible Jatropha. It needs to determined if this affects the degumming method. The degumming removes lecithin and other related compounds, so if these are high than a modified degumming method may be needed. If the oil is properly dried after degumming and kept under nitrogen blanketing this may suffice. Biodiesel companies are investigating storage requirements and the oxidative stability of Jatropha.
5) Seeds degrade as soon as they are picked and so careful storage and handling is required. In the warm humid atmosphere in countries such as
6) There has never been a highly commercial group handling Jatropha Curcas harvest and derivatives. Rubber Nitrile tanks are perfect for container shipping as there is no exposure to the atmosphere or the air, this is because they are collapsible and always work in a vacuum. They can be fitted in a 20ft - 30 ton container. Each container would hold about 22.4 tons Jatropha Curcas crude oil. Their use would prevent the problem of water absorption.
Labels: Jatropha-Problems
posted by Sudha @ 8:47 PM 0 Comments
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Jatropha Facts and the Context for Bangladesh
Jatropha is NOT a threat to food security. In fact, it is completely inedible. It is doesn’t need to be grown in crop land because it can be grown anywhere, even wastelands. Did you know that Bangladesh has approximately 37 lac hectares of wasteland? Did you know that Jatropha is even grown in the Sahara Desert?
To produce enough diesel to fulfill Bangladesh’s needs only requires 100 hectares of land. Jatropha is not even consumed by animals so it is an excellent border plant to be used to prevent animals from wondering onto and destroying valuable crops. It’s leaves also enrich the soil as the fall. It also can be planted along riverbanks and coastlines to prevent erosion.
Jatropha begins to produce fruit from the second year after plantation and continues to produce fruit for 50 years without replanting.
The process of expressing the oil is similar to that of mustard oil expression and therefore it is not cost intensive.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 10:28 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Production Technology
Jatropha curcas is multi purpose non-edible oil yielding perennial shrub originated in
tropical
marginal lands with lesser input. The crop can be maintained for 30 years economically. The oil from Jatropha curcas can be used as biodiesel blend upto 20%. However, the refined oil is a qualified neat biodiesel.
Climate and soil
Jatropha grows well under subtropical and tropical climates. It can tolerate extremes of temperature but not the frost. It is grown in wide range of soils. For economic returns, a soil with moderate fertility is preferred.
Labels: Jatropha-Production
posted by Sudha @ 9:55 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Plant Gains Steam In Global Race for Biofuels
Goldman Sachs recently cited jatropha as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production. A Bear Stearns analysis last year found that
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 9:22 PM 0 Comments
Additional Benefits of Jatropha
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 8:54 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha in India - Thar Technologies
Pennsylvania company using $2M U.S. government grant to develop one-step biodiesel process to be used in new plant.
Pittsburgh, Penn.-based Thar Technologies said it plans to build a biodiesel plant in Rajasthan, India, using the region's karanj and jatropha crops.
Thar CEO Lalit Chorida said the company plans to take advantage of the region's policy to give 30 percent of wastseland to private companies seeking to grow the two biodiesel feedstocks. Thar plans to grow some of its own feedstock and buy the rest from area farmers.
Thar is seeking 20 acres around Jaipur on which to build the plant.
Thar recently received a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. government's Advanced Technology Program to develop its biodiesel production process.
The company is working on that single-step biodiesel process at its headquarters in Pennsylvania. That method uses carbon dioxide, instead of hexane, to extract oil from seeds and create biodiesel, using 25 percent less energy and reducing cost by 14 percent...
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Company
posted by Sudha @ 8:43 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Economic Effects
Economic effects from past Jatropha programs are not noticeable yet; in the contrary output in terms of plants, left to grow and produce to use has been considerably below expectations. Commercial Jatropha cultivation has not been viable so far, uprooting of several thousand acres Jatropha by farmers rather indicates that income and non-monetary effects have been below costs or at least below opportunity costs. Nonetheless, a few small markets found, indicate that there is a sustainable way to cultivate Jatropha in India without subsidy. The minimum wage being at par with 2 l of diesel supports this notion.
Cost factors feared or felt to be possibly underestimated are:
costs of fruit and seed
cost of middlemen
wholesaler
transport
processing
handling
storage
training
overheads for management and administration
water demand
fertilizer demand
quality of soils
tillage needs
plant care
light demand
time and
adaptation of engines
Read more info(PDF) here
posted by Sudha @ 8:15 PM 0 Comments
Present Jatropha Activities in India
In Erode the NGO CDRC is promoting integrated farming and sustainable development since
several years. A medical doctor is founder and head of this NGO, sometimes working as well
as a veterinary doctor. He is using herbal medicines and promoting natural means of
agricultural production, thus integrating agro-forestry, on-farm energy production and use of
herbs for medicinal and nutritional purposes to support healthy and sustainable living
conditions in rural areas. There is an impressive record of accomplishment on past
development and promotional activities on sustainable agriculture, including commercial
production of biodegradable food plates from banana leaves through local women.
One CDRC member is head of a nursery mainly for fruit and oil trees and ornamental plants.
Since about two years, the nursery is focussing Jatropha in cooperation with Coinbatore
Agricultural University, who is getting Government support for this purpose in preparation of
the planned program and has since produced up to 500.000 plants (ca. 200 ha) from seeds and
cuttings. Seedling production takes 60 days and cutting production 45 days, before being
given to the farmers. There is no preference for none of the methods yet. 50 thousand
seedlings went to Government bodies so far, about 40.000 to Indian Railways and roughly
400.000 to private owners (small and medium farmers).
Read more info(PDF) here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 7:52 PM 0 Comments
Poisonous parts of the Jatropha
Main Toxins:
Curcin - a phytotoxin (toxalbumin), found mainly in the seeds and also in the fruit and sap.
Other Toxins:
These genera also may contain hydrocyanic acid (CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology 1977). There may be a dermatitis producing resin (Lampe & Fagerstrom, 1968).
There may be an alkaloid, and a glycoside which
Produce cardiovascular and respiratory depression. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMPZ), an amide alkaloid has been obtained from the stem of J. podagrica (Ojewole & Odebiyi, 1981). Atropine-like effects have also been reported following ingestion of Jatropha multifida (Aplin
1976).
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 7:36 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Toxic
A top biotechnologist in the country said the government should not encourage marginalized farmers to plant jatropha on a massive scale because that would put them at a disadvantage.
Dr. Saturnina Halos, chairman of the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Advisory Team, told The Manila Times that farmers would be at the receiving end if they plant jatropha because the only big market for that crop is biodiesel.
Halos said jatropha is "toxic" to the soil, and may contain a neurotoxin that can harm or kill humans.
"The farmers will be placed at a disadvantage, because the only big market for jatropha is biodiesel. What if that market suddenly disappears … the farmer would be left in a pitiful state," she added.
While jatropha planting is encouraged along lands where rice cannot be planted, Halos said the biofuel crops that the government should propagate should also have a market for food. Among these are coconut, malunggay, cassava, sweet sorghum, and sugarcane.
She added that there is no need to devote so much land for biofuel crops, as far as complying with the Biofuels Law is concerned.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 7:27 PM 0 Comments
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Jatropha Sub Products Uses
Read more info hereLabels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 1:20 AM 0 Comments
Friday, December 26, 2008
Wasteland for Jatropha
Read more info hereLabels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 11:00 PM 0 Comments
Economics: Jatropha Fuel Farming
Assumptions For Cost/Benefit Analysis
- Though Jatropha starts yielding from very first year, we have taken no yield for 1st and 2nd year just to ensure proper pruning and development of the plant
- Crop density with 2mx2m pattern shall be 2500 plants per ha
- Seeds tonnage per ha has been taken 0, 0, 2.5, 5.0, 6.25, 9.6 for 1, 2,3,4,5, and 6th year respectively
- Intercropping has been presumed for 30% of plantation area
- CDM calculation has been taken as minimum for +1000 ha plantation
- Rate of interest has been taken as 9% per annum for 5 years
| | |
| Crop yield | $ 21000 |
| INPUTS | |
| CAPITAL | |
| Crop Cultivation cost | $ 13000 |
| OPERATING COST | |
| Crop harvest cost | $ 3200 |
| MAINTENANCE COST | |
| Crop care cost | $ 3080 |
| REVENUE | $ 14720** |
*(in 5th year)
Read more info hereLabels: Jatropha-Cost
posted by Sudha @ 10:55 PM 0 Comments
Madhya Pradesh Proposes Jatropha Cultivation
hub. If the Madhya Pradesh government’s plan to lease out wasteland to corporate
On the dacoit menace in the area, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed that Chambal would no longer be known for bandits and criminal activities. “Most of the infamous dacoits of the area have been eliminated. It’s time to convert Chambal into a future energy hub.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 10:47 PM 0 Comments
SBI, With D1 Mohan Bio for Jatropha Cultivation
| The State Bank of India (Chennai, local headoffice) has signed a memorandum of understanding with D1 Mohan Bio, to finance an estimated Rs 130 crore for jatropha cultivation in Tamil Nadu (excluding Nilgiris) by farmers through contract farming of nearly 1 lakh acres in the first year. The MoU was signed last Saturday in the city by the two organisations. |
| The farmers will be jointly identified by SBI and D1 Mohan Bio – a joint venture of Chennai-based Mohan Breweries and UK-based D1 Oils. All the farmers who have not defaulted on their loans will be eligible for 90 per cent financing of the cost of cultivation. |
| Addressing the media after the signing of the MoU, P Chaudhuri, chief general manager of SBI, said “Small farmers and landless labourers will benefit as we shall finance the cultivation. They shall find a ready market for their produce from D1 Mohan Bio. The loans will be realised from the sale of the crop.” |
| The cost of cultivation is estimated to be Rs 10,760 per acre under dryland conditions and Rs 19,560 per acre under irrigation conditions. Read more info here |
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 10:41 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Investment - Bionor Transformacion plans
Bionor Transformacion plans to invest $200 million in a 247,000-acre jatropha plantation in the Philippines. AME Bioenergy will conduct feasibility studies, pick sites, install infrastructure, and organize labor on behalf of Bionor.
The announcement came at the beginning of a state visit by Philippine President Arroyo to Spain.
Bionor operates biodiesel plants in Spain and Italy with a combined output of 39 Mgy, and ins constructing five more plants in Brazil and Spain with a planned capacity of 254 Mgy.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 10:32 PM 0 Comments
Investing In Jatropha
Jatropha Africa initial project in Ghana will take approximately 412,000 Metric Tons of CO2 out of the air each year. The technology is simple. Land, water, sunlight, nutrients and CO2 are the inputs. Through photosynthesis, the outputs are oil bearing seeds and oxygen.
We estimate that our machinery working on the farm and logistics, return 20% of the CO2 taken in by the plants, to the atmosphere. So our Ghana plantation will:
- Remove 412,000MT of CO2 out of the air each year
- Provide jobs for over 1000 people in rural communities in Ghana
- Bring into use, land in a semi arid area, which is not suited to food agriculture
- Reduce the use of fuels produced from crude oil
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 10:20 PM 0 Comments
Australian Jatropha Company
November 14, 2007 (Biofuel Review) - A new Australian company, Jatoil Limited, formed to invest in the global market for biofuels, has announced an initial public offering to raise up to Aus$10 million ahead of its planned listing on the ASX on 12 December. According to the company it will supply rising international demand for biofuels by both growing and selling low-cost biodiesel feedstock overseas. The company’s main business will be the supply of Jatropha oil.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 10:18 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Oil to Biodiesel – by the process of transesterification.
Jatropha Oil to Biodiesel – by the process of transesterification.
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 2:49 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Jatropha High yielding plant in Malaysia
High yielding plant in
The plantation in
Photo by Chumroen Mah,
Labels: Jatropha-Harvesting
posted by Sudha @ 9:22 PM 0 Comments
Old Jatropha Tree in Indonesia
Old Jatropha tree in
Photo by Mrs de Ruwe.
posted by Sudha @ 9:19 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Oil Transesterification
- Is the process of chemically reacting a fat or oil with an alcohol in a presence of a catalyst
- Alcohol used is usually methanol or ethanol
- Catalyst is usually sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide
- The main product of transesterification is biodiesel and the co-product is glycerine
Labels: Jatropha-Transesterification
posted by Sudha @ 9:04 PM 0 Comments
Chemical Analysis of Jatropha Curcas Oil
The chemical analysis of Jatropha curcas oil
| ITEM | VALUE |
| Acid value | 38.2 |
| Saponification value | 195.0 |
| Iodine value | 101.7 |
| Viscosity (31oC) "Fatty acid" | 40.4 |
| Palmitic acid % | 4.2 |
| Stearic acid % | 6.9 |
| Oleic acid % | 43.1 |
| Linoleic acid % | 34.3 |
| Other acids % | 1.4 |
posted by Sudha @ 9:01 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha seed chemical composition
- Moisture 6.20 %
- Protein 18.00 %
- Fat 38.00 %
- Carbohydrates 17.00 %
- Fiber 15.50 %
- Ash 5.30 %
The oil content is 35 – 40% in the seeds and 50 – 60% in the kernel. The oil contains 21% saturated fatty acids and 79% unsaturated fatty acids.There are some chemical elements in the seed which are poisonous and render the oil not appropriate for human consumption.
Read more info hereLabels: Jatropha-Seed
posted by Sudha @ 8:54 PM 0 Comments
Problems in Use of Jatropha Oil as Fuel in Diesel Engine
| Problems | Causes |
| Coking of injectors on piston and head of engine | High viscosity of raw oil, incomplete combustion of fuel. Poor combustion at part load with raw oil |
| Carbon deposits on piston and head of engine | High viscosity of oil, incomplete combustion of fuel. |
| Excessive engine wear | High viscosity of raw oil, incomplete combustion of fuel. Dilution of engine lubricating oil due to blow-by of raw oil |
Labels: Jatropha-Problems
posted by Sudha @ 8:43 PM 0 Comments
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Costs of Jatropha plantation
- With a 5000 kg seed at 4 year, irrigation and fertilizer investment, ca 1600 USD, yearly operating costs of 300 in year 4 and further, the costs of 1 kg seed are 0.14 USD/kg with project discount of 3 to 12 % (10 , 20 year), which requires the oil to cost 0.61 USD/kg with a extraction project discount factor of 9% (15 yrs)
- With 8000 kg seed at 4 year, costs are 0.10 USD/kg seed and oil at 0.45 USD/kg (idem)
Labels: Jatropha-Cost
posted by Sudha @ 10:43 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Oil Production Grown on Poor Quality Land
How much land would be required to provide enough jatropha oil for the world’s aviation fleet, if it is grown on poor quality land?
| Total demand for aviation kerosene | About 240 million tonnes per year (extrapolated from OECD use) |
| Jatropha berry yield | 2 tonnes per hectare |
| Oil content | 40% |
| Processing losses (estimate) | 15% |
| Kerosene replacement per hectare | 0.68 tonnes |
| Number of hectares needed to replace kerosene | About 350 million hectares |
| Percentages of world land area | |
| Percentage of all land area | About 2.5% |
| Percentage of all arable land | About 18% |
| Percentage of all pastoral land | About 9% |
Labels: Jatropha-Oil
posted by Sudha @ 10:07 PM 0 Comments
Monday, December 22, 2008
Jatropha Investments-Tata Group Company
Mumbai: Tata Chemicals Tuesday said it has entered into a joint venture with Singapore-based company JOil for marketing the latter's Jatropha seedlings in India and East Africa.
JOil is a Jatropha seedling company and has been set up by the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) along with some other investors.
How credit card companies fleece you
The Tata Group company will be investing 25 million Singapore dollars for a 35 per cent stake in the joint venture over a period of four years.
"We have tied-up with TLL which is into research and development work on Jatropha and are trying to bring some fruits of their technology to India," Tata Chemicals Managing Director Homi R Khusrokhan told reporters.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 6:40 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha curcas as an Energy Source
Jatropha oil is an important product from the plant for meeting the cooking and lighting needs of the rural population, boiler fuel for industrial purposes or as a viable substitute for diesel. Substitution of firewood by plant oil for household cooking in rural areas will not only alleviate the problems of deforestation but also improve the health of rural women who are subjected to the indoor smoke pollution from cooking by inefficient fuel and stoves in poorly ventilated space. Jatropha oil performs very satisfactorily when burnt using a conventional (paraffin) wick after some simple design changes in the physical configuration of the lamp.About one-third of the energy in the fruit of Jatropha can be extracted as an oil that has a similar energy value to diesel fuel. Jatropha oil can be used directly in diesel engines added to diesel fuel as an extender or trans-esterised to a bio-diesel fuel. In theory, a diesel substitute can be produced from locally grown Jatropha plants, thus providing these areas with the possibility of becoming self sufficient in fuel for motive power. There are technical problems to using straight Jatropha oil in diesel engines that have yet to be completely overcome. Moreover, the cost of producing Jatropha oil as a diesel substitute is currently higher than the cost of diesel itself that is either subsidized or not priced at "full cost" because of misconceived and distorted national energy policies. Nevertheless the environmental benefits of substituting plant oils for diesel provides for make highly desirable goals.
REad more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 5:55 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Plant Profile
Jatropha Plant Profile:
- Size: up to 6 or 8 metres high.
- Productive life: 30-40 years.
- Stem straight, thick branches.
- Green leaves: 6-15 cm. long & wide.
- Fruit: oval 40 mm. long. approx.
- Each fruit contains 2-3 seeds.
- Seeds Colour: black.
- Seeds: average long 18 mm.(11-30).
- Seeds average width 10mm. (7-11).
- 1000 Seeds: 0.750 a 1.0 Kg. approx.
- Oil in seeds: more than 30%.
- Branches contain whitish latex.
- Normally 5 roots in germinated seeds.
- One central root & 4 laterals in seed.
- Without leaves in drought & winter.
- Plant without leaves remain latent.
- Do not stand cold or frost.
- 80% of oil is unsaturated.
- Oleic & Linoleic mainly.
posted by Sudha @ 4:47 AM 0 Comments
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Benefits of the Jatropha
More details here
Labels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 11:28 PM 0 Comments
Friday, December 19, 2008
Jatropha Cultivation - a Diagramatical Representation
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 6:11 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Curcas
- Low Emission Fuel – Because Jatropha contains no sulfur, it is a clean, low-emission fuel.
- Better than Mineral Diesel – At the same power output, Jatropha oil consumption and efficiencies are higher than mineral diesel fuel (1990 – 1996 University of
- Better than Other Vegetable Oils – Tests demonstrate that out of various oils, including copra, palm, groundnut, cottonseed, rapeseed, soy and sunflower, the lowest exhaust gas emissions were obtained with copra and Jatropha oils.
- Lower Cost of Production – Jatropha has a lower cost of production than many other oils because its chemical make-up is so close to diesel, resulting in a $0.10 - $0.20 per gallon cost savings. The oil yield per acre is among the highest of tree born seeds. The Jatropha seeds are easy to collect, as the trees are not very high. The Jatropha plant is undemanding of soil type and does not require tillage.
- Many industry experts predict that in the next 10 years Jatropha will become the major bio diesel oil feedstock.
- Jatropha is able to improve soil quality and arrest desertification.
- Jatropha Seed Cake - The residual seedcake that is produced when the Jatropha seeds are crushed to produce oil can be used as organic fertilizer. Seed Cake remaining after the oil is pressed out can be used for cooking, fertilizing (organic manure, as the oil cake is rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium).
- Glycerin - a by-product of biodiesel production, which can be used to make a high-quality soap or refined and sold at a range of prices, depending on its purity, to be used in an immense range of products, including cosmetics, toothpaste, embalming fluids, pipe joint cement, cough medicine and tobacco (as a moistening agent).
posted by Sudha @ 1:58 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Farming
Jatropha is a drought resistant perennial shrub or small tree that has an economic life of up to 35 years and can live for 50 years. It grows fast, with little or no need for maintenance and can reach a height of 3 to 8 meters.It has a smooth gray bark which exudes whitish color, watery, latex when cut. The size of the leaves ranges from 6-16 cm. in length and width. The leaves are green to pale, alternate to sub-opposite with 3 to 5 lobes. It sheds leaves in the dry season and rejuvenates during rainy season.
Flowers are formed terminally, individually, with female flowers usually slightly larger. It is pollinated by insects, especially honey bees. Two flowering peaks are often observed and occur during the wet season. Each inflorescence yields fruits.
After the seeds mature, 3 bi-valved cocci are formed. The seeds become mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow about three months after flowering.
It grows on well-drained soils with good aeration and is well adapted to marginal soils with low nutrient content. On heavy soils, root formation is reduced. Jatropha is a highly adaptable species, but its strength as a crop comes from its ability to grow on very poor and dry sites.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 1:50 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Cultivation in Mali & India
One of the best examples of a sustainable usage of Jatropha is found in the West African country of Mali. The Jatropha program in Mali began in 1993 with German Technical Assistance. The program not only aimed to use Jatropha oil as a fuel but also use Jatropha cultivation as a springboard for energizing rural economies. The small village of Simiji has recently been transformed by Jatropha production. By crushing the seeds of the Jatropha plant and extracting the oil, village residents have found a renewable power source that does not conflict with the local food supply. Oil from the Jatropha plant, long considered useless, now powers a small generator. Simiji now has enough power to run 40 streetlights and give 60 families power at night. The usage of Jatropha in Simiji is not an isolated case of success in Mali. It is one of 700 communities that have installed a generator; which can run on plant oil, part of a larger state run project to electrify the country’s 12000 villages through a renewable energy source that does not harm the local food supply. Aboubacar Samake, head of the Jatropha program at the government funded National Center for Solar and Renewable energy, noted that a number of foreign companies had shown an interest in developing a Jatropha industry in Mali. Encouragingly for the local villages, Samake said that the foreign companies had been told that no agro-fuels would be exported until Mali’s domestic needs were met.
Another country that is also investing heavily in Jatropha production is India. Similar to Mali, the Indian Jatropha grows in the wild, does not require large-scale irrigation projects and can be harvested within two years of planting. In contrast to Mali, India’s investment in Jatropha follows a more conventional path of development in alternative energy resources. While the Jatropha plant in India is the same as the one in Mali, the goals of the Jatropha program in India are somewhat different. In Mali, the Jatropha plant was used to develop a renewable power supply for each individual village, however, in India, Jatropha planting is primarily aimed at reducing oil imports and achieving energy independence. Jatropha cultivation in India also received a strong boost after the President of India Abdul Kalam announced he was a supporter of the project.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 1:40 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Jatropha Plantation in India
Non-Forest Areas proposed for Jatropha Plantation
200 districts in 19 potential states have been identified on the basis of availability of wasteland, rural poverty ratio, below poverty line (BPL) census and agro-climatic conditions suitable for jatropha cultivation.Each district will be treated as a block and under each block 15000 ha jatropha plantation will be undertaken through farmers (BPL). Proposed to provide green coverage to about 3 Million ha of wasteland through plantation of jatropha in 200 identified districts over a period of 3 years.
Andhra Pradesh , Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 11:32 PM 0 Comments
INDIA - The India based Centre for Jatropha Promotion & Biodiesel (CJP) is implementing its ambitious plan for 5,000,000,000 New Biodiesel Tree Plantation (NBTP) to produce 10 million ton biodiesel per annum once the yield starts for building a sustainable biodiesel industry in the state of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
CJP will tie up with local players for setting up about 30 Zonal Bio-business Partners (ZBP) at state level, 210 District Bio-business Partners (DBP) at the district level, 3000 Block Bio-business Partners (BBP). While the Bio-business Partners shall grow and maintain jatropha and other trees collect the seeds and extract the oil, the CJP will provide inputs and have a buy back arrangement for seeds/oil and use the produce locally in the refineries.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 11:27 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Revolution in India
President Dr Abdul Kalam is a strong advocate of jatropha biodiesel. In a speech in 2006, he said out of the 60 million hectares of wasteland available in India, over 30 million ha are suitable for jatropha cultivation.
Recently, the State Bank of India provided a further boost to the cultivation of jatropha by signing a memorandum of understanding with D1 Mohan to give loans totalling Rs 1.3 billion to local farmers in India, to be paid back with the money that D1 Mohan pays for the harvested jatropha seeds.
The Indian Railways have started to use jatropha oil blended with diesel to power its diesel engines with great success.
Many Indian states have already jumped onto the jatropha train, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
Jatropha has been held up as a reliable source of income for India’s poor rural farmers, providing energy self-sufficiency, while reducing fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Several states have distributed plants free of charge to small farmers, encouraging private investment in jatropha plantations and setting up biodiesel processing plants. The ministry of rural development, which is to coordinate the national mission on biofuel when it is approved, estimates that there are already between 500 000 to 600 000 ha of jatropha growing across India.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 11:04 PM 0 Comments
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
All about Jatropha
Botanical FeaturesA small tree or shrub with smooth gray bark growing between 3 to 5 meters in height, and can attain heights up to 8 to 10 meters under good conditions.
Leaves
Large green, alternate to sub-opposite, three-to five-lobed with spiral phyllotaxis.
Flowers
Petiole length: 6-23 mm. Ion conditions suitable for continuous growth, an imbalance of pistillate or staminate flower production effects better results in a higher number of female flowers.
Fruits
Fruits of Jatropha are produced in winter, when the shrub is relatively leafless, or in case of excellent soil and moisture conditions, may produce several crops throughout the year. Inflorescence yields a 10 or more ovoid fruits.
Seeds
Seeds mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow, after two to four months. To optimize production of seeds with the maximum oil content of up to 42%, care needs to be taken while selecting seeds. Jatropha Curcus seeds are ideally collected from plants aged over 30 years.
Read more here
posted by Sudha @ 10:49 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Ecological Requirements
Jatropha curcas grows almost anywhere , even on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can thrive on the poorest stony soil. It can grow even in the crevices of rocks. The leaves shed during the winter months form mulch around the base of the plant. The organic matter from shed leaves enhance earth-worm activity in the soil around the root-zone of the plants, which improves the fertility of the soil.Regarding climate, Jatropha curcas is found in the tropics and subtropics and likes heat, although it does well even in lower temperatures and can withstand a light frost. Its water requirement is extremely low and it can stand long periods of drought by shedding most of its leaves to reduce transpiration loss. Jatropha is also suitable for preventing soil erosion and shifting of sand dunes.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 10:40 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Cultivation Technology
The key factors that can influence the oil yield of Jatropha Curcas are:- Climate
- Quality of the soil
- Irrigation
- Weeding
- Use of fertilizer
- Crop density
- Genotype
- Use of pesticide
- Inter-cropping
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 10:20 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha In Africa - Mozambique, Ghana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
The most promising cultivation regions are based in
In
There are plans for expansion in other African countries as well, including
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 9:47 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Incentives in India
Large plots of waste land have been selected for Jatropha cultivation and will provide much needed employment to the rural poor of India. Businesses are also seeing the planting of Jatropha as a good business opportunity. The Government of India has identified 400,000 square kilometres (98 million acres) of land where Jatropha can be grown, hoping it will replace 20% of India's diesel consumption by 2011.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 9:31 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Investments-Bharat Petroleum invests
In India, state oil company Bharat Petroleum announced a $66 million investment in a joint venture with Shapoorji Pallonji and Nandan Biomatrix to produce jatropha-based biodiesel. The company expects to build 10 biodiesel plants within a 10-year period, from jatropha harvested in Uttar Pradesh, with a planned capacity of 300 Mgy.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 9:21 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Plantation Other Uses
Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits from the Jatropha Plantation
- Job Creation
- The harvesting of physic nuts or fruits from the tree is done every month, throughout the year and for over the forty years of the fruits bearing life of the tree.
- It has been estimated that one able bodied young manor woman will harvest about 1 hectare jatropha farm per month.
- After harvesting the dry nuts are sent to the purchasing centre for sales where purchasing clerks are to be engaged to do the job.
- Then the carting of the nuts from the purchasing centers to the processing factory requires massive logistical activities that will involve a lot of labour.
- The processing factory will also need to engage machine operators and other various skilled personnel.
- After processing the nuts into finished products, there also need to be conveyed to distribution and marketing centers.
- The value chain job creation is therefore very massive.
- For one million hectare jatropha plantation project, it is estimated that direct employment generation will be over 1 million working people.
Labels: Jatropha-Uses
posted by Sudha @ 6:55 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Biodiesel Processing Cycles
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 6:52 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha in Africa
On the map of Africa the dark areas represent prime Jatropha growing regions in Africa. These areas, comprising over 1,080 million hectares, or 10.8 million square kilometers, are ideal because the average annual rainfall exceeds 800 mm, and the minimum temperature of the coldest month is greater than 2 degrees centigrade. The light green areas of the map are areas with average annual rainfall in excess of 300 mm, with the minimum temperature of the coldest month greater than 2 degrees centigrade. These areas, comprising over 580 million hectares, or 5.8 million square kilometers, are also viable regions for growing Jatropha.
Read more here
posted by Sudha @ 6:34 AM 0 Comments
Usage of Jatropha Curcas Seeds
-
Jatropha Curcas fruits have many by-products. The seed from the dried fruits can produce up to 35% of Crude Jatropha Oil (CJO) which can be refined into biodiesel.
-
Several rural communities have started using CJO in modified generators to generate electricity for rural electrification and cottage industries.
-
CJO is used as diesel replacement in stationed engines such as water pumps.
-
CJO is also a very good replacement of kerosene which is widely used by rural villagers for lighting and cooking.
-
Another industrial usage of CJO is component to surfactants or oil-based products.
-
The Jatropha Curcas seedcake and fruit shells can be used directly as feedstock into a Biomass Gasifier to generate power supply for CJO processing plant and with excess power for rural electrification.
-
Research has also identified that the Jatropha Curcas seedcake has equal calorific value of low grade coal. Hence, it may be useful in replacing or blending with low grade coal for burning to reduce the most polluted energy source.
-
Jatropha Curcas seedcake can also be processed into organic fertilizer.
Labels: Jatropha-Seed
posted by Sudha @ 6:23 AM 0 Comments
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Jatropha Worldwide production
Jatropha originated in Mexico and South America. It is now increasingly being planted around
the world including in Asia (mainly India, Indonesia, and China) and Africa (mainly Egypt,
Malawi, Swaziland and Zambia).
It is claimed that India has 11 million hectares of land being cultivated for jatropha for biofuel3,
and a single fuel company has reported plantings of 60,000 hectares in India, 40,000 hectares
in Africa and almost 75,000 hectares in Asia4.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Production
posted by Sudha @ 11:33 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Oil to be tested in Air New zealand Flight
Boeing and Air New Zealand will fly a jumbo jet powered partly by biofuel...
An Air New Zealand jet will leave Auckland on December 3 with a 50-50 mix of jet fuel and oil from jatropha trees, in one of its four engines on a flight designed to show that jatropha biofuel is suitable for use in aviation as well as economical to produce .
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 11:17 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha study in California
HOLTVILLE, CALIF.: A trial jatropha plantation funded by Chevron will see the transplanting of jatropha seeds this spring into an acre parcel at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center (DREC) in Holtville, Calif.
"I think jatropha would be ideal for this area," said Sham Goyal, University of California (UC), Davis agronomist, and a member of the university's jatropha research team. "A realistic estimate is an acre of jatropha could produce from 500 to 600 gallons of biodiesel per acre per year. If you're paying US$5 per gallon for diesel, that's about US$2,500 per acre of gross return."Jatropha produces fruit-seeds for about 30 years and grows best in well-drained soils with good aeration. The plant is well adapted for marginal soils with low nutrition. Plantings at DREC are sub-surface irrigated. Goyal said annual water requirements are about 2 acre feet.
The plants in the DREC plot are planted 6 feet (1.8 m) apart with 15 feet (4.5 m) between the rows.
In addition to biodiesel, jatropha oil can also be used as biomass to power electricity power plants or applied in medicinal uses. Other possible outputs include paper, soap, cosmetics, toothpaste and organic fertilizer seed cake.The total jatropha plantation in the Americans stands at more than 64,000 acres this year, Goyal said citing a global jatropha market study. Production could total 4 million acres by 2015. Asia is expected to grow 2.3 million acres this year and surpass 22 million acres by 2015.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 10:26 PM 0 Comments
Global Investment in Jatropha to Produce Biodiesel
Update on Jatropha Curcas: the world’s interest in using this plant to produce biodiesel!
- England, De-Ord Fuel opened a new 100,000 GPY biodiesel facility in
- China’s largest state oil company, Sinopec, said it will invest $5 billion in Jatropha and plantations in
- Integrated Biodiesel Industries said that it has acquired a 10 percent stake in
- In Myanmar, “Biofuel by Decree: Unmasking Burma’s bio-energy fiasco,” was released by the Ethnic Community Development Forum detailing the use of forced labor and land confiscation to plant 8 million acres with jatropha to provide a solution to Myanmar’s fuel crisis. The first national Jatropha crops were ready for harvest this month, with up to 7 million acres planted by small farmers, after a national directive in 2006 that all farmers with more than 1 acre of land had to plant a minimum of 200 Jatropha seeds to establish a hedge around their landholdings.
- In the United Arab Emirates, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi announced an $15 billion investment project in renewables, managed by Masdar. Masdar’s major initiative in bio-fuels is focused on Jatropha and other arid climate crops.
- Archer Daniels Midland Company, Bayer Crop Science and Damiler to cooperate in Jatropha biodiesel project.
- In Zambia, the Omnia group will invest $3 million in jatropha research, saying that the imperative to develop alternative fuels is stronger in landlocked Zambia than neighboring South Africa, and said that the company hopes to understand as much as possible about RH nutrients required by Jatropha so that it can develop and sell better fertilizers if cultivation of jatropha continues to increase in Southern Africa.
- China Agro-Technology announced that it has secured $300 million in financing for biodiesel acquisitions and operations. The company is focused on building capacity to process jatropha oil to supply the growing demand for lower-cost biodiesel.
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 8:44 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha in India-Hindustan Petroleum Investment
The oily seeds of the bushy plant are used to create biodiesel, and nearly 2.5 million acres have been planted so far in Hindustan Petroleum will refine the seeds from the harvest into biodiesel to sell across the state of Chhattisgarh. Jatropha is intriguing for biodiesel production because the plant grows in areas where edible crops fear to tread, so it is supposedly a non-competitor for farm land. But that doesn’t mean a whole lot if farmers can get more for a crop of jatropha seeds than another food crop they typically grow on their land. Additionally, the areas deemed “wastelands” are in fact used by land-right-less rural populations for grazing their herds. So jatropha cultivation – like most crops for biofuel and biodiesel – isn’t necessarily harmless and farming of it will need to be watched and regulated.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 8:29 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Investment-BP & D1 Oils, Mission Biofuels...
Mission Biofuels, an Australian company, owns a 22,000-acre jatropha plantation in Malaysia and has plans for expansion. Eco Solutions, based in Korea, grows jatropha in the Philippines. Jatropha has even emerged in the public sector in China, where the government offers subsidies for growth of jatropha crops in some southern provinces.
BP and D1 have similarly announced plans to plant jatropha in India, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa and Central and South America, with an estimated total of one million acres dedicated to its cultivation.
The spread of jatropha production across the globe may have positive implications for developing countries. Not only do jatropha plantations offer the potential for job growth, but jatropha fuel may also supply energy to surrounding populations. Hundreds of villages in Mali are already utilizing jatropha as a major energy resource.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 8:23 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha seeds for future energy use
Jatropha seems almost a miracle plant. It doesn`t need much water or fertilizer. It grows even on denuded soil and hills. Animals don`t like to eat it. It`s too scrawny to cut down for firewood. It can grow for more than 40 years. And just selling the seeds for their oil should earn farmers in Elias Pina more than most earn -- perhaps $800 a year for a 2.5-acre farm, Laval said.That`s enough money to interest farmer Hector Tolentino. The 54-year-old now rides his horse farther each day to find enough firewood to cook his meals. Area residents have been cutting down trees for so many generations that the land is eroding and drying out.
Read more here
Labels: Jatropha-Seed
posted by Sudha @ 7:49 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Oil Production
The yield of oil-seeds from each tree is strongly reflected by type of seedling stock used. JatrophaTech uses internally developed technology to clone and propagating only the highest quality BioDiesel oil-producing Jatropha plants. This technique allows the Jatropha nursery to affect the plant's stature and yield.This has been achieved through efforts in germplasm research, genetic manipulation, and cloning methods that enable the propagation of superior genetically identical Jatropha specimens.
The cloned Jatropha plants provide greater oil seed yields than virtually every other oil seed crop currently available, including rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, mustard, and palm oil. What made Jatropha especially attractive to clone was its adaptability to a wide range of climates and conditions. Jatropha has successfully been grown in dry and wet subtropical climates, and very dry to wet tropical climates, at elevations from sea level to 1200 m.
Jatropha trees are tolerant to drought, and can be grown in a variety of soils, from stony clays to infertile sands. Standard Jatropha trees are generally propagated by seed, requiring 3-4 months to germinate and up to 3 years of growth before the trees bear fruit. By cloning Jatropha we are able to circumvent this process to create genetically consistent, high yielding trees capable of bearing fruit after only a few months instead of several years using this biotechnology platform.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 2:56 AM 0 Comments
Advantages of Jatropha curcas seeds
- Jatropha curcas seeds is easy to establish & with a speedy growth rate requiring minimum care.
- Jatropha curcas seeds does not need intensive care and very minimal input is required to sustain its growth.
- Can be grown on all kinds of soil varieties, and it grows even in wastelands.
- Drought-Resistant properties. Jatropha curcas seeds can be planted in the harshest of desert weather & on any type of soil.
- Plantation of Jatropha curcas seeds in rural areas helps in- Employment generation, Sources of alternate energy & providing increased earnings.
- Jatropha seeds can be used to increase green cover through the reclamation of wastelands and infertile lands.
- Jatropha curcas seeds is highly suited to preventing soil erosion.
- It does not inhibit the growth of other crops.
- With a high micorrhizal value in its roots, Jatropha helps in extracting phosphates from soil.
- Improves soil fertility by fallen leaves throughout their life cycle.
- Other than its use as bio-diesel, it even has medicinal as well as other uses.
- Generates net income for 30-35 years @ Rs.10,000/acre/year approx. from 4th year onwards .
- Rapid Growth in voluminous quantities.
- With high oil extraction potential of about 31-37%.
- As a Bio-fuel, it can be used in any diesel engine without modification.
Labels: Jatropha-Seed
posted by Sudha @ 2:50 AM 0 Comments
Uses of Jatropha cake for biogas
- 70–75% of the seeds are produced as oilcake;
- The cake is high in organic matter;
- Biogas production from Jatropha oilcake was about 60% higher as compared to that from cattle excreta;
- Biogas generated from Jatropha oil cake has better calorific value than cattle excreta because it has more methane.
Labels: Jatropha-Cake
posted by Sudha @ 2:41 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Plantation & Biodiesel Production Facilities
Full turnkey Jatropha Plantation establishment and specialised ongoing management services. Read
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 2:17 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Comparison with Petroleum Costs
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Prices
posted by Sudha @ 1:51 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Biodiesel Investment
In
Labels: Jatropha-Investment
posted by Sudha @ 1:24 AM 0 Comments
Monday, December 15, 2008
Need To Know More On Jatropha? - Read Here
Leading the campaign for the propagation of jatropha in the country is Philippine National Oil Co.-Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC).
The corporation has tied up with the military to set up a 500-hectare nursery in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. In Mindanao, the corporation is looking at some 1.2 million hectares as its main hub for jatropha production.
Among the benefits of jatropha cultivation that government is trumpeting are the reduction in air pollution and the country’s dependence on imported crude oil, creation of jobs, and construction of roads, bridges and a refinery.
Read more info here
posted by Sudha @ 1:09 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha Bio-diesel is better for automobiles - Why ?
1. Higher octane number indicates potential for higher engine performance.
2. Better fuel consumption compared to petrol-diesel.
3. Superior lubricating properties.
4. Higher flash point for safer storage.
5. No sulphur or aromatic substances.
6. Higher oxygen content ( upto 10% )
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 1:06 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha cultivation for Biodiesel
The country has nearly 63 million hectares of wasteland, out of which 33 million hectares have been allotted for tree plantation. Certain multi-purpose trees such as Jatropha can grow well in wasteland with very little water. Once grown, the crop has fifty years of life. Fruiting can take place in this plant in two years. It yields up to five tonnes per hectare oil seeds and produces two tonnes of bio-diesel. Presently, the cost of bio-diesel through the plant is approximately Rs. 17 to Rs. 19 per litre, which can be substantially reduced through choice of right size of the plant and using high yield variety plantation that has already been established by the researchers. Bio-diesel plants grown in 11 million hectares of land can yield a revenue of approximately Rs. 20,000 crore a year and provide employment to over 12 million people both for plantation and running of the extraction plants.
Low Risk Venture
A quick estimate of land requirements to meet the fuel needs of a 500 MW combined cycle power plant is 2,70,000 hectares, which is significantly large. The yield of bio-diesel is 1.62 tonnes/hectare. The bio-diesel requirement for a 500 MW (CCGT plant) is approximately 4,40,000 tonnes per annum operating at 70 per cent plant load factor.
The bio-diesel cost is estimated to be around Rs. 20 per litre, which accounts for all the costs associated with plantation and seed collection, oil extraction, trans-esterification and transportation. The risks associated with Jatropha derived bio-fuel appears to be low as these can grow on degraded lands.
Read more here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 1:03 AM 0 Comments
India Turns Wasteland into Jatropha Cultivation
A home-grown Indian firm is embarking on an aggressive drive to use wastelands across the country to produce biofuels.
IKF Green Fuel plans to invest more than Rs 400 crore to take up Jatropha plantation and processing, including over Rs 100 crore in the farmer suicide capital of the country , Vidarbha and Marathwada.
Read more info here
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 12:55 AM 0 Comments
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Will Jatropha be Solution for Biofuel - Read this
India is all set to witness a bio-fuel revolution soon. As part of this, several states have chalked out plans to increase production of bio-fuel. Many Indian states have already jumped onto the jatropha train, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
India is not alone. China claims to have 2 million ha of jatropha under cultivation, and announced plans to plant an additional 11 million across its southern states by 2010. Burma has plans to plant several million ha, and the Philippines, and several African countries have initiated large-scale plantations of their own. So far there are 200000 ha of jatropha in Malawi and 15 000 ha in Zambia, almost all under a formal lease or agreements with the UK-based company D1-Oils. Explore more
posted by Sudha @ 10:50 PM 0 Comments
India's Plan to Increase Jatropha Cultivation
Vitale Nandan Biopharma Sciences Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company floated by Hyderabad-based Nandan Biometrix Ltd and Ahmedabad-based V Worldwide, has been allotted 5,000 acres of wasteland in Patan and Surendranagar districts for the cultivation of jatropha to produce bio-diesel.
The company, which is embarking on a large-scale jatropha cultivation over 8 lakh hectares in Maharashtra, MP, UP, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa and Jharkhand, is planning to increase its jatropha cultivation to nearly one lakh acres in Gujarat over the next few years.
Of the 133 million hectares of total wasteland in the country, five lakh hectares are in Gujarat and can be used for jatropha cultivation. Read
Labels: Jatropha-Cultivation
posted by Sudha @ 10:34 PM 0 Comments
Jatropha Bio Diesel Economics
Jatropha is seen by many to be the perfect biodiesel crop. It can be grown in very poor soils actually generating top soil as it goes, is drought and pest resilient, and it has seeds with up to 40% oil content.
Here are some facts and figures about Jatropha relating to its growth as an oil product:
More info here
Labels: Jatropha-Biodiesel
posted by Sudha @ 9:36 PM 0 Comments
Like to Invest in Jatropha -- Read these Comments!
Jatropha Curcas is being heavily planted for harvesting of it nuts to produce biodiesel. Jatropha has been the buzzword on the lips of many biofuel investors, Government Officials and researchers. The potential this plant has as an environmentally friendly and socially aware source of Biodiesel is astounding. As Jatropha is poised on the brink of commercialization, Jatropha investors have stepped up their efforts to develop a viable source of biodiesel, and some are already well on the road to success. Read more here
posted by Geetha @ 4:04 AM 0 Comments
Jatropha - An Alternative to Ethanol?
From China to Brazil, countries have begun setting aside tens of thousands of acres for the cultivation of jatropha – a plant many experts say is the most promising source for biodiesel. At the same time, companies from Europe and India have begun buying up land throughout Africa to establish jatropha plantations.
There is no estimate as to how much jatropha is being cultivated globally, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the trend is accelerating:
• The government-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) is planning to have 80,000 acres of jatropha in Sichuan Province alone by 2010.
• Renova Biodiesel of Brazil is expected to plant 60,000 acres of jatropha, and reports suggest that other oil companies are considering planting nearly 500,000 acres in the next four years.
• D1 Oils, a British company that is considered by many to be the leader in jatropha cultivation, has plantations from Swaziland to Indonesia, and hopes to nearly double its 385,000 acres of jatropha worldwide by the end of 2008.
• The Philippine National Oil Co. recently earmarked $14 million for jatropha planting and production, while Indonesia plans to set up 52 biodiesel plants across the country at a cost of $7.3 million. Explore more
posted by Geetha @ 3:54 AM 0 Comments
Huge Potential for Jatropha in India and Abroad
posted by Geetha @ 3:45 AM 0 Comments
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Zamboanga Norte Pushing for the Planting of Jatropha
Although the prices of petroleum products in the world market are going down these days, the province of Zamboanga del Norte is still resolved to push for biofuels production.
Knowing that fossil fuel sources are depleting, Zamboanga del Norte Governor Rolando E. Yebes is strongly pushing for the planting of Jatropha, commonly known to many as "tuba-tuba."
The municipalities identified for the production of Jatropha include Salug, Godod and Leopn Postigo.
posted by Geetha @ 3:30 AM 0 Comments
The Jatropha Blog Started
There we go! We will provide regular updates on the interesting jatropha plant and its use in biofuels
posted by Ecacofonix @ 1:47 AM 0 Comments
