Green Biodiesel from African Tree: Jatropha

Programme Norway – Global partner – NORGLOBAL Project presentation Green biodiesel from African tree The fruit of the jatropha tree consists of roughly 35 per cent oil that can fuel standard diesel engines. So as a biofuel, is this oil an environmental... More

Programme Norway – Global partner – NORGLOBAL Project presentation Green biodiesel from African tree The fruit of the jatropha tree consists of roughly 35 per cent oil that can fuel standard diesel engines. So as a biofuel, is this oil an environmental godsend or a castle in the air? Jatropha has been championed as a major environmental opportunity for developing countries with a semi-arid climate and marginal soil. Scientist Karl Hilding Thunes of the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute has been investigating whether this small, hardy and relatively pest-free tree lives up to its billing. Biofuel of the future Jatropha is a top candidate for future large-scale biodiesel production, according to investment bank Goldman Sachs. TIME Magazine reported that jatropha could yield 6 tonnes of biodiesel per acre (15 tonnes per hectare) annually. The New York Times wrote that this otherwise worthless weed far eclipses corn’s efficiency as a biofuel. Furthermore , since it can grow in Less