The Jatropha revolution
Investing in the green alternative
Vegetable oils and Biodiesel
The need for energy crops has recently surged; in many countries legislation goes in the direction of using more biodiesel for:
1) Environmental issues
2) Lighter energy bill and reduce dependence from fossil fuels.
3) Rural development
All the vegetables oils can be used for the production of biodiesel. However the use of oils such as soybeans,palm oil and rapeseed creates some ethical problem. Why use oils that can be diverted for human uses?
In fact in the past monthes prices of oils climbed all time records following the petrol price path : this meant that a large slide of poor people in developed countries were not able to buy one of their main sources of calories.
The need for production of more oils caused also wild deforestation in some protected areas such as Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia and the Amazon forest in Brazil.
Why Jatropha?
What makes this plant at the center of the studies and multi-millions investments worldwide in recent years ?Jatropha curcas is a perennial plant (a shrub), that grows in different types of soils including arid and semiarid areas; is drought resistant and can be cultivated in marginal lands (even in sandy or saline soils).
Jatropha is inedible for human consumption and as animal's feedstock;however its content in oil is extremely high.
Especially in developing countries where a food emergency is present, Jatropha is a great alternative to have a renewable source of energy that doesn't compete with food crops.
Jatropha where?
In many countries are running pilot projects to use Jatropha as feedstock for the production of Biodiesel.
India, China,Thailand,Vietnamto name some in Asia and a few african and south american countries as well.
Biodiesel gives an opportunity also in remote areas, in family run farms, in not industrialized areas, to have a reliable source of energy.
Also a few european industries are investing in Jatropha biodiesel in Asia and Africa; hopefully these investment will also mean economical growth in the interested regions.
That is why is probably an excellent opportunity and possibility to GO Jatropha.