Jatropha – Bio Energy Crop

Jatropha is the plant with lots of potential benefits. As the fossil fuels are decreasing rapidly and the carbon dioxide emission discharged 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 region, little care suffices for its growth. It grows both in topical and sub tropical region. The jatropha seed contains 35 percent oil material in it. The oil from jatropha can be used as biodiesel mix approximately 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 considering that the oil is non-edible. The oil is used as a traditional medicine disinfectant and to cure diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis dropsy etc. The seed oil is likewise used for lighting and in soap preparation. It is seldom used as a live fence in preventing crops from livestock and it occasionally used as home demarcation. It decreases the soil disintegration.

The maximum growing conditions for the Jatropha plant varies from 1000 to1500 mm yearly rainfall, with temperature levels of 20 to 28 C. The soil must be free draining without any water logging. But sufficient water and nutrition is a should 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 bad soil. It can not withstand frost.

The Jatropha Electrification is establishing in numerous countries. Mali is considered to be one of the poorest countries on the planet. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers’ Cooperative (CPP) and the power business ACCESS are the main organizations developing jatropha cultivation. The private power business ACCESS is creates and does electrical power 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) preparation to produce power for all by 2012. The small scale power generation jobs were established in Chattisgarh, India. It is being run by Winrock International in the Kabir Dham . This little power system offers 24-hour power supply at the really budget friendly 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 a promising crop for rural development. The jatropha oil illuminate backwoods with electricity. 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 reduces 20 lots of co2 annually. The largest jatropha producing country in Asia will be Indonesia and India. In Africa, Ghana and Madagascar will be the biggest manufacturers. Brazil will be the largest manufacturer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor extensive process for this reason it produces task for many poor rural individuals. Above all Jatropha can be used as a Renewable resource.