Jatropha – Bio Energy Crop

Jatropha is the plant with many prospective benefits. As the fossil fuels are declining rapidly and the co2 emission emitted 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 desert, little care suffices for its growth. It grows both in topical and sub tropical region. The jatropha seed consists of 35 percent 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 evaluated effectively as a fuel for simple diesel engine. It is not a food crop given that the oil is non-edible. The oil is utilized as a traditional medicine disinfectant and to cure diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis dropsy etc. The seed oil is likewise utilized for lighting and in soap preparation. It is seldom used as a live fence in avoiding crops from animals and it occasionally utilized as residential or commercial property demarcation. It decreases the soil erosion.

The optimal growing conditions for the Jatropha plant ranges from 1000 to1500 mm annual rainfall, with temperature levels of 20 to 28 C. The soil must be totally free draining with no water logging. But adequate 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 provides oxygen for the world and it can grow even in poor soil. It can not endure frost.

The Jatropha Electrification is developing in lots of countries. Mali is thought about to be one of the poorest countries in the world. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers’ Cooperative (CPP) and the power company ACCESS are the main institutions developing jatropha cultivation. The private power business ACCESS is produces and does electricity sales. Currently 247 homes are connected to the micro grid after a payment of $30 as a contribution to the connection expenses. Likewise in India, the Rural Electricity Supply Technology (REST) objective of the Ministry of Power (MOP) planning to produce power for all by 2012. The small scale power generation jobs 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 rate of 50 cents per light bulb to bad villagers. It is 17.5 KW capability power plant runs on raw jatropha seed oil.Jatropha is a promising crop for rural development. The jatropha oil illuminate rural locations with electrical power. The jatropha planting on the wastelands has the ability to offer 50-60% of the India’s fuel requirements.

The Jatropha curcas plantation in 1 hectare reduces 20 lots of carbon dioxide per year. The biggest 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 manufacturer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor extensive process for this reason it creates task for many poor rural people. Above all Jatropha can be utilized as a Renewable Energy.