Jatropha Seeds and Energy

Alternative energy sources are a hot commodity. Companies and governments are trying to find other sources of fuel in order to transition away from petroleum without any massive interruptions in people's lifestyles. Biofuels, fuel derived from renewable plant sources, are one such option, and the seeds of the jatropha plant have emerged as a major contender.

Definition

Jatropha curcas, one species of about seven in the Jatropha family, is a tropical tree from Central America that now grows around the world. Olin College says the plant can exist in regions between latitudes 30 degrees north and 35 degrees south. It is sometimes called physic nut. It can grow in a wide range of soils because of a taproot that can extract moisture and nutrients from deep under the surface. It needs at least 18 inches of water per year. It has several folk medicine uses, including treating cancer, venereal disease and arthritis, and it has been used to make soap. The seeds are poisonous.

Oil Content

The exact oil content varies depending on the plant and the source reporting the oil content, with numbers ranging from 20 percent to more than 40 percent. Olin College reports that 1 hectare, which is a little under 2 1/2 acres, of jatropha plants can produce up to 2,400 liters, or about 634 gallons of oil. A seed cake, or a compressed mass of seeds, is left over after the oil is extracted. The University of Florida notes the seed cakes could possibly be another type of fuel for pellet stoves and already are used in industrial incinerators.

Economic Advantages

The demand for alternative oil sources means successful jatropha plantations can earn a lot of money for their owners. Jon R. Luoma of Yale Environment 360, a newsletter for the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, notes that processing plants near villages with jatropha fields have given local villages in Mali a reliable, consistent and cheap source of fuel for cooking and generating electricity. Jatropha already has one long-standing, economically beneficial use as a fence around food crops. Animals trying to get to crops to steal the fruits or otherwise damage the plants must get through the toxic jatropha first.

Considerations

Jatropha can grow in poor soil, but the seed yield is directly proportional to how nutritious the soil is and how much care the plant receives. Luoma writes that the better yield in healthy soil means competition for arable land between jatropha and edible food crops for humans, with food crops possibly losing out, as has already happened in the Philippines.