Jatropha - Bio Energy Crop
Jatropha is the plant with lots of prospective advantages. As the fossil fuels are decreasing quickly and the co2 emission given off from it contaminates the environment, 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 area. The jatropha curcas seed contains 35 percent oil content in it. The oil from jatropha curcas can be utilized as biodiesel blend as much as 20% without refining. The oil burns with clear smoke-free flame, and was tested effectively as a fuel for simple diesel engine. It is not a food crop considering 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 used for lighting and in soap preparation. It is seldom used as a live fence in preventing crops from livestock and it sometimes utilized as property demarcation. It lowers the soil disintegration.
The optimal growing conditions for the Jatropha plant ranges from 1000 to1500 mm annual rains, with temperatures of 20 to 28 C. The soil needs to be complimentary draining with no water logging. But sufficient water and nutrition is a must for high yield. The jatropha curcas is simple 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 stand up to frost.
The Jatropha Electrification is developing in many nations. Mali is thought about to be among the poorest nations in the world. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers' Cooperative (CPP) and the power business ACCESS are the main organizations establishing jatropha growing. The private power company ACCESS is produces and does electrical power sales. Currently 247 homes are linked 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) mission of the Ministry of Power (MOP) planning to produce power for all by 2012. The little scale power generation projects were developed in Chattisgarh, India. It is being run by Winrock International in the Kabir Dham district. This small power system provides 24-hour power supply at the really affordable rate of 50 cents per light bulb to poor villagers. It is 17.5 KW plant runs on raw jatropha seed oil.Jatropha is a promising crop for rural advancement. The jatropha curcas oil lights up rural locations with electrical energy. The jatropha planting on the wastelands has the ability to supply 50-60% of the India's fuel requirements.
The Jatropha curcas plantation in 1 hectare lowers 20 lots of co2 each year. The biggest jatropha curcas producing country in Asia will be Indonesia and India. In Africa, Ghana and Madagascar will be the largest manufacturers. Brazil will be the largest producer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor intensive procedure thus it develops job for many bad rural individuals. Above all Jatropha can be used as a Renewable Energy.
