Jatropha Curcas
Jatropha curcas is a drought resistant, disease resistant perennial, which grows well in marginal to poor soil. It is easy to establish, grows relatively quickly, it is not generally browsed by animals and lives, producing seeds for up to 50 years. The oil, produced from the seeds of the Jatropha plant, burns with a clear smoke free flame. Depending on rainfall and soil quality, Jatropha trees begin producing oil bearing seeds two years after planting.
- 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 New Orleans study).
- 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).