Jatropha – Bio Energy Crop

Jatropha is the plant with lots of prospective advantages. As the fossil fuels are decreasing rapidly and the co2 emission produced 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 dry area, little care suffices for its development. It grows both in topical and sub tropical region. The jatropha seed consists of 35 percent oil content in it. The oil from jatropha can be used as biodiesel blend approximately 20% without refining. The oil burns with clear smoke-free flame, and was checked effectively as a fuel for simple diesel engine. It is not a food crop since the oil is non-edible. The oil is used as a traditional medication disinfectant and to cure illness like cancer, stacks, snakebite, dropsy etc. The seed oil is also used for lighting and in soap preparation. It is rarely utilized as a live fence in preventing crops from animals and it sometimes used as residential or commercial property demarcation. It minimizes the soil erosion.

The optimum growing conditions for the Jatropha plant ranges from 1000 to1500 mm annual rains, with temperature levels of 20 to 28 C. The soil should be free draining without any water logging. But sufficient water and nutrition is a should for high yield. The jatropha is simple 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 developing in many nations. Mali is considered to be among the poorest nations worldwide. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers’ Cooperative (CPP) and the power business ACCESS are the primary organizations establishing jatropha cultivation. The personal power company ACCESS is produces and does electricity sales. Currently 247 families 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) preparation to produce power for all by 2012. The small scale power generation tasks were developed in Chattisgarh, India. It is being run by Winrock International in the Kabir Dham district. This small power system offers 24-hour power supply at the very inexpensive 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 rural locations with electrical energy. 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 decreases 20 lots of co2 per year. The largest jatropha producing country in Asia will be Indonesia and India. In Africa, Ghana and Madagascar will be the largest producers. Brazil will be the biggest producer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor intensive process hence it produces task for numerous poor rural individuals. Above all Jatropha can be used as a Renewable Energy.