Is Jatropha the Latest and Greatest Biofuel?

It is amazing to think that a tiny seed could contain the makings of a biofuel powerful enough to power airplanes. But it's true – because in 2008 Jatropha seeds were used in a 50:50 biodiesel jet fuel mixture in one of the four tanks. This was a New Zealand test peformed to find out if Jatropha seeds could be harnessed for these purposes. The results were favorable as the mixture held up under normal conditions of high altitude aircraft travel.

One supporter is Father Inacio Almeida who resides in Southern India. His nickname is the “priest of biodiesel” because he champions the use of Jatropha for making gasoline and has done so for more than five years now. Father Almeida undertands that this plant and its seeds are hearty and can thrive in even the most arid soil with very little tending. Jatropha is highly tolerant to heat and can even withstand frost. And, it grows in both saline rich and nutritionally depleted soil.

This plant can produce as many as 50 years worth of seeds at once, which makes it a very appealing solution to the fuel crisis. Air New Zealand thinks that because of Jatropha seeds airplane travel of the future will cease to contribute to the problem of global warming, making for environmentally friendly travel.

As the Jatropha plant can grow almost anywhere, it does not require the nutrient packed soil that food crops do. This means there is enough room to grow food and farmers can grow Jatropha in areas where nothing would grow before. As the industry of growing and harvesting Jatropha and its seeds gets bigger it is estimated that thousands of new jobs could be created.

Jatropha is gaining public interest because it can be used to replace traditional diesel fuel and doesn't need much processing before being used. It is easily accessed and very potent. In fact, 40 percent oil can be extracted from Jatropha seeds and used unprocessed. In technical terms you could take the oil from these seeds as is and use it to power a diesel engine. Advantages include less energy used and pollution emitted during the fuel processing process. Even after the oil is extracted the pulp can be made into natural pesticide and fertilizer.

Air New Zealand currently has regulations in place regarding the growth and use of Jatropha plants and seeds. First, the land used for growing the plants cannot be forest land or virgin land. Second, the plants cannot be grown on land that can be used for crops. And third, Jatropha plants must be watered by the rain and not irrigated via artifical means.

The airline thinks they will be able to replace 10 percent of the jet fuel used today with biodiesel like Jatropha by the year 2013. It takes a Jatropha crop approximtely 3 to 5 years to grow, harvest and process and by then professionals feel they will be well prepared for the implementation of biodisel on a large scale and meet the fuel demands of the industry.

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