Jatropha – Bio Energy Crop

Jatropha is the plant with numerous possible advantages. As the fossil fuels are declining rapidly and the co2 emission given off from it contaminates the atmosphere, the world is working towards an alternative fuel to overcome it.

The Jatropha curcas is the plant which can grow in semi arid area, little care is enough for its growth. It grows both in topical and sub tropical area. The jatropha seed includes 35 percent oil content in it. The oil from jatropha can be used as biodiesel blend up to 20% without refining. The oil burns with clear smoke-free flame, and was tested successfully as a fuel for simple diesel engine. It is not a food crop since the oil is non-edible. The oil is utilized as a conventional medicine disinfectant and to treat diseases like cancer, stacks, snakebite, paralysis dropsy etc. The seed oil is likewise used for and in soap preparation. It is rarely used as a live fence in preventing crops from animals and it sometimes used as residential or commercial property demarcation. It reduces the soil disintegration.

The optimal growing conditions for the Jatropha plant ranges from 1000 to1500 mm yearly rains, with temperatures of 20 to 28 C. The soil must be totally free draining pipes with no water logging. But sufficient water and nutrition is a must for high yield. The jatropha is easy to grow and it can bear the seeds within a year of planting. It supplies oxygen for the planet and it can grow even in poor soil. It can not endure frost.

The Jatropha Electrification is establishing in many nations. Mali is considered to be among the poorest nations in the world. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers’ Cooperative (CPP) and the power company ACCESS are the primary organizations establishing jatropha growing. The private power business ACCESS is produces and does electricity sales. Currently 247 households are connected 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) objective of the Ministry of Power (MOP) preparation to produce power for all by 2012. The little scale power generation tasks were developed in Chattisgarh, India. It is being run by Winrock International in the Kabir Dham district. This little power system offers 24-hour power supply at the very economical cost of 50 cents per light bulb to bad villagers. It is 17.5 KW capacity power plant runs on raw jatropha seed oil.Jatropha is an appealing crop for rural advancement. The jatropha oil lights up backwoods with electrical power. The jatropha planting on the wastelands has the ability to provide 50-60% of the India’s fuel requirements.

The Jatropha curcas plantation in 1 hectare lowers 20 lots of carbon dioxide each year. The largest jatropha producing country in Asia will be Indonesia and India. In Africa, Ghana and Madagascar will be the biggest producers. Brazil will be the largest manufacturer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor extensive process for this reason it creates job for lots of bad rural people. Above all Jatropha can be used as a Renewable resource.