Jatropha oil

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Jatropha

Jatropha oil is vegetable oil produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas, a plant that can grow in marginal lands and common lands. Jatropha curcas grows almost anywhere, even on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can also thrive on the poorest stony soil and grow in the crevices of rocks.

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[edit] Use as biodiesel

When jatropha seeds are crushed, the resulting jatropha oil can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel that can be used in a standard diesel car, while the residue (press cake) can also be processed and used as biomass feedstock to power electricity plants or used as fertilizer (it contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium).[1]

The plant yields more than four times as much fuel per hectare as soybean, and more than ten times that of maize (corn). A hectare of jatropha produces 1,892 litres of fuel.[2]

Researchers at Daimler Chrysler Research explored the use of jatropha oil for automotive use, concluding that although jatropha oil as fuel "has not yet reached optimal quality, ... it already fulfills the EU norm for biodiesel quality". Archer Daniels Midland Company, Bayer CropScience and Daimler AG have a joint project to develop jatropha as a biofuel[3]. Three Mercedes cars powered by Jatropha diesel have already put some 30,000 kilometres behind them. The project is supported by DaimlerChrysler and by the German Association for Investment and Development (Deutschen Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, DEG).

Goldman Sachs recently cited Jatropha curcas as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production.[4] However, despite its abundance and use as an oil and reclamation plant, none of the Jatropha species has been properly domesticated and, as a result, its productivity is variable, and the long-term impact of its large-scale use on soil quality and the environment is unknown.[5] However, because jatropha can grow in harsh climates, it can be planted in areas where it won't compete for resources needed to grow food.[6]

[edit] Myanmar biodiesel

Myanmar is also actively pursuing the use of jatropha oil. On 15 December 2005, Head of State, Senior General Than Shwe, said “the States and Divisions concerned are to put 50,000 acres (200 km²) under the physic nut plants [Jatropha] each within three years totalling seven hundred thousand acres (2,800 km²) during the period”. On the occasion of Myanmar’s Peasant Day 2006, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe described in his a message that “For energy sector which is an essential role in transforming industrial agriculture system, the Government is encouraging for cultivation of physic nut plants nationwide and the technical know how that can refine physic nuts to bio diesel has also identified.” He would like to urge peasants to cultivate physic nut plants on a commercial scale with major aims for emergence of industrial agriculture system, for fulfilling rural electricity supply and energy needs, for supporting rural areas development and import substitute economy.

In 2006, the chief research officer at state-run Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise said Myanmar hoped to completely replace the country's oil imports of 40,000 barrels a day with home-brewed, jatropha-derived biofuel. Other government officials declared Myanmar would soon start exporting jatropha oil. Despite the military's efforts, the jatropha campaign apparently has largely flopped in its goal of making Myanmar self-sufficient in fuel.

[edit] Use as jet fuel

Aviation fuels may be more widely substituted with biofuels a such as jatropha oil than fuels for other forms of transportation. There are fewer planes than cars or trucks and far fewer jet fueling stations to convert than gas stations[7]. On December 30, 2008, Air New Zealand flew the first successful test flight with a Boeing 747 running one of its four Rolls-Royce engines on a 50:50 blend of jatropha oil and jet A-1 fuel.[7] Subsequently, Air New Zealand and Houston based Continental Airlines have run tests in Jan. 2009, further demonstrating the viability of jatropha oil as a jet fuel. Japan Air also plans test flights in Jan. 2009 as well.

[edit] Light Hydrocarbon Fuel

In 2008-2009 a pair of student researchers at a public school in Connecticut tested Jatropha's ability to produce light Hydrocarbon fuels. Through the Gas Chromatographic analysis, the pair saw a significantly greater amount of Hydrocarbons present than diesel in a gas sample taken. The gas sample was taken through heating shell-less ground Jatropha at 800 degrees Celsius above a burner in a gas trap. The Gas Chromatographic analysis also showed that among the Hydrocarbons present was a significant amount of Methane along with Ethane and Propane. The sample taken also contained over 15% per gram Carbon Dioxide. This research, along with other growing tests done by the researchers, may provide new light unto previous claims made regarding Jatropha's viability as a biodiesel. This may lead to research into Jatropha's potential as a solid fuel source in a solution.[8]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Poison plant could help to cure the planet Times Online, 28 July 2007.
  2. ^ Michael Fitzgerald (December 27, 2006). "India's Big Plans for Biodiesel". Technology Review (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/17940/. Retrieved on 2007-05-03. 
  3. ^ "Archer Daniels Midland Company, Bayer CropScience and Daimler to Cooperate in Jatropha Biodiesel Project". DaimlerChrysler. http://www.daimler.com/dccom/0-5-7153-1-1035042-1-0-0-0-0-0-8-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-1.html. 
  4. ^ Jatropha Plant Gains Steam In Global Race for Biofuels
  5. ^ World Agroforestry Centre (2007) When oil grows on trees
  6. ^ .http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/jatropha-fuels-land-investment-51144.aspx
  7. ^ a b Kanter, James (December 30, 2008). "Air New Zealand Flies on Engine With Jatropha Biofuel Blend". New York Times. http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/air-new-zealand-flies-on-engine-with-jatropha-biofuel-blend/?hp. 
  8. ^ http://www.ctsciencefair.org/documents/Abstracts2009.pdf

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