Jatropha – Bio Energy Crop

Jatropha is the plant with many possible benefits. As the nonrenewable fuel sources are decreasing rapidly and the carbon dioxide emission emitted from it pollutes the atmosphere, the world is working towards an alternative fuel to conquer it.

The Jatropha curcas is the plant which can grow in semi desert, little care suffices for its growth. It grows both in topical and sub tropical region. The jatropha seed includes 35 percent oil material in it. The oil from jatropha can be utilized as biodiesel mix as much as 20% without refining. The oil burns with clear smoke-free flame, and was evaluated effectively as a fuel for simple diesel motor. It is not a food crop because the oil is non-edible. The oil is used as a standard medicine disinfectant and to treat diseases like cancer, stacks, snakebite, paralysis dropsy etc. The seed oil is also used for lighting and in soap preparation. It is hardly ever used as a live fence in preventing crops from animals and it occasionally used as property demarcation. It reduces the soil erosion.

The optimal growing conditions for the Jatropha plant ranges from 1000 to1500 mm yearly rainfall, with temperature levels of 20 to 28 C. The soil needs to be totally free without any water logging. But sufficient water and nutrition is a needs to for high yield. The jatropha is easy to grow and it can bear the seeds within a year of planting. It offers oxygen for the planet and it can grow even in bad soil. It can not endure frost.

The Jatropha Electrification is developing in numerous countries. Mali is considered to be one of the poorest nations on the planet. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers’ Cooperative (CPP) and the power company ACCESS are the primary organizations developing jatropha cultivation. The private power company ACCESS is creates and does electricity sales. Currently 247 families are linked to the micro grid after a payment of $30 as a contribution to the connection costs. Likewise in India, the Rural Electricity Supply Technology (REST) mission of the Ministry of Power (MOP) planning to produce power for all by 2012. The small scale power generation projects were developed in Chattisgarh, India. It is being run by Winrock International in the Kabir Dham district. This little power system provides 24-hour power supply at the extremely budget friendly price of 50 cents per light bulb to poor villagers. It is 17.5 KW capability power plant operates on raw jatropha seed oil.Jatropha is a promising crop for rural development. The jatropha oil lights up backwoods with electrical power. The jatropha planting on the wastelands has the capability to supply 50-60% of the India’s fuel requirements.

The Jatropha curcas plantation in 1 hectare lowers 20 tons of co2 per year. The largest jatropha producing nation in Asia will be Indonesia and India. In Africa, Ghana and Madagascar will be the biggest producers. Brazil will be the largest producer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor intensive process hence it produces job for many bad rural individuals. Above all Jatropha can be used as a Renewable Energy.