Jatropha curcas is a woody shrub that produces vegetable oil for biofuel. It can grow in marginal soil, reducing competition with food crops. The plant’s oil can be used in diesel engines and its by-products can be used as fertilizer or burned for power. However, the plant is toxic and requires careful handling, and creating a commercially viable crop can be expensive due to its wild nature.
Jatropha biofuel is a vegetable oil that can be obtained from a woody shrub known as jatropha curcas. The jatropha plant, native to Africa, is capable of growing in a marginal soil type that many other crops cannot. This can lead to greater sustainability and allow this potential fuel source not to compete for land or resources with food crops. In the same amount of space as other common biofuel crops, such as corn and soybeans, biofuel for jatropha can be produced multiple times. The wild form of the plant produces relatively erratic yields, although a domesticated version may prove more reliable.
There are a number of factors that make jatropha an attractive biofuel source, although there are some concerns as well. The plant grows a type of oilseed that can be crushed to produce vegetable oil. This oil can then undergo a process that allows it to be used in regular diesel engines in place of petrodiesel or various unsustainable biodiesels. There is another by-product of pressing the oil from jatropha seeds, known as press cake. This can be used as fertilizer or burned in power plants.
One of the main reasons jatropha biofuel is attractive is that the plants can grow in poor soil conditions. These marginal lands are areas unsuitable for other types of agriculture for a variety of reasons. Jatropha was originally considered a noxious weed due to its ability to grow almost anywhere. This capability may allow it to deliver sustainable biofuels without competing for land with food crops. There are concerns about jatropha crops competing for irrigation with food crops, although this can be avoided by growing jatropha in areas with abundant rainfall.
The seeds and leaves of jatropha plants are toxic, so great care must be taken when handling and processing. Since producing biofuel for jatropha involves pressing the oil from the seeds, special equipment may be required to prevent operators from being exposed to poisonous fumes. Many of the dangers associated with jatropha plant toxicity can be avoided through careful handling, although they often come with additional costs.
Because the jatropha plant is wild, creating a commercially viable crop can be expensive. Wild jatropha is not uniform in growth patterns or yields, so harvesting the seeds is a labor-intensive process that must be done manually. Domestication can create a plant that produces a more predictable amount of biofuel for jatropha, although this is a costly and time-consuming process.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
