Jatropha - Bio Energy Crop
Jatropha is the plant with numerous potential advantages. As the nonrenewable fuel sources are decreasing rapidly and the co2 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 desert, little care is enough for its development. It grows both in topical and sub tropical area. The jatropha seed consists of 35 percent oil content 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 checked successfully as a fuel for simple diesel motor. It is not a food crop given that the oil is non-edible. The oil is used as a traditional medicine disinfectant and to treat diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis dropsy etc. The seed oil is likewise utilized for lighting and in soap preparation. It is hardly ever used as a live fence in preventing crops from animals and it occasionally used as residential or commercial property demarcation. It minimizes the soil disintegration.
The optimal growing conditions for the Jatropha plant ranges from 1000 to1500 mm yearly rains, with temperatures of 20 to 28 C. The soil should be free draining with no 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 stand up to frost.
The Jatropha Electrification is establishing in numerous countries. Mali is considered to be among the poorest countries worldwide. At Mali, Garalo Jatropha Producers' Cooperative (CPP) and the power business ACCESS are the primary institutions establishing jatropha growing. The personal power company ACCESS is generates and does electricity sales. Currently 247 families are linked to the micro grid after a payment of $30 as a contribution to the connection costs. 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 small scale power generation tasks were developed in Chattisgarh, India. It is being run by Winrock International in the Kabir Dham district. This little power system supplies 24-hour power supply at the very economical cost 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 an appealing crop for rural development. The jatropha oil lights up backwoods 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 lowers 20 loads of carbon dioxide each year. The biggest jatropha producing country in Asia will be and India. In Africa, Ghana and Madagascar will be the biggest manufacturers. Brazil will be the biggest producer in Latin America. The plantation is a labor extensive process for this reason it produces job for lots of poor rural people. Above all Jatropha can be utilized as a Renewable resource.
