Jatropha Q and A

There has been intensive research in universities across the world on jatropha over the last decade (shown by the 6660 research papers published between 2008-18 on jatropha found on ScienceDirect). The body of knowledge on the subject thus has increased considerably. Several private companies have also been active in the sector, mainly doing research to improve the quality of jatropha seeds for the market. Six internationally active companies, including a world petrochemical major, are actively involved in jatropha commercialisation research presently.

Yield increase: standard seeds are now available that have been proven to have 3-6 times higher yields compared to wild seeds that were used for raising plantations 10 years back.

Agronomic knowledge has increased considerably over the last 10 years.

Genetic and eco-physiological knowledge has also increased laying the foundation for further developments in the jatropha sector.

The greenhouse gas (GHG) and net energy balance of a fuel are important criteria for ascertaining its environmental sustainability.

Research at the university of Bonn has shown that use of jatropha oil showed GHG emission reduction potential of up to 82% compared to fossil fuel. Other published literature has supported this finding. This compares very well with the GHG savings of other vegetable oil-derived fuels, where the value is in the range of 55% savings (due to more intensive cultivation methods and chemical supplements). Jatropha oil thus has equivalent or better chemical properties as biofuel feedstock, but higher ecological benefits because of lower GHG emissions compared to conventional vegetable oils.

The proposed strengthening of the GHG balances of biofuels in Europe and many other countries will increase the demand for bio-oils such as that from jatropha.

A study from Mexico where more intensive methods are used for agriculture, a net energy ratio of jatropha biodiesel production was found to be 2.88 indicating a strongly positive energy balance of the jatropha system. This means that the jatropha system produces 2.88 times more energy compared to total energy inputs. The energy balance is still more positive in small-scale farming systems.

Studies by the United Nations ICRISAT and other universities have proven that jatropha plantations can statistically significantly enhance soil quality including the soil carbon pool (2-3 times increase in soil organic carbon after 4 years of plantation establishment) and microbial biomass carbon (also 2-3 times increase in the 4th year of the plantation). The plantations also resulted in significant increases in macronutrients (N, P and K) in the soil. Jatropha plantations thus have significant potential to reclaim eroded soils and render them fertile over a period of time.

It is proven by trails that jatropha-derived biofuel (biodiesel, hydro-treated jatropha oil and jatropha oil-derived aviation spirit) can be mixed without problems in the relevant fossil-derived fuel. This type of mixing is being practised presently in Europe, USA and many other countries with vegetable oil derived biofuels and there are no risks if jatropha oil is used.

Tests by Daimler AG has shown that use of 100% jatropha biodiesel resulted in a halving of hydrocarbon and a two thirds reduction of particulate matter emissions from diesel cars. The NOx emissions remain more or less same, but this can be kept under control technically. The mixing of biofuels at low percentages will lead to proportional reductions in harmful emissions in addition to GHG emission savings.

As mentioned earlier, jatropha cultivation is competitive under sub-optimal cultivation conditions compared to other conventional crops. The yields on such lands from multilocation trials with elite seeds show a yield range of 2 - 3.5 tonnes of dry seeds per ha per year on maturity of the plantations.

Jatropha cultivation using elite seeds on sub-optimal land needs to produce 1.75 to 2.75 tonnes of dry seeds per ha per year from the 4^th year onwards under routine plantation conditions to be attractive to small farmers (based on experience-figures in Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Kenya, applicable to other countries also). This calculation is based on the current, low market prices of jatropha seeds in these countries.

Jatropha can be cultivated both on the small land holdings as well as on an industrial scale. At present, the best opportunities would be in tropical countries where sub-optimal, presently unused land and cheap labour are available (most African and many Asian and Latin American nations). With the development of mechanisation, the profitability promises to increase in future. Jatropha has the potential to become an important sustainable fuel feedstock of the future.

Jatropha lends itself excellently to planting as a border plant or to separate parcels of land. It has the additional advantage of affording protection to the agricultural plots from grazing cattle and goats. In addition, the plants also produce marketable seeds.

In conventional jatropha culture, where whole seeds with shell are crushed to produce oil, seed cake and oil are the products. Every 3.5kg of seeds produce 1 kg of oil and 2.5kg seed cake. The seed cake is an excellent fertilizer and soil conditioner and has good demand from farmers.

The new non-poisonous jatropha varieties (the plants are still not browsed by animals) presents more possibilities. In addition to bio-oil, it can generate kernel meal that can replace imported soybean meal as animal feed ingredient and shell pellets that can replace wood-charcoal as cooking or small-industrial fuel.

The favourable quality and very favourable GHG savings potential of jatropha oil practically ensures a very high market for it internationally (to have an idea of the market size, some 1650 million tons of diesel and some 250 million tons of aviation fuel are consumed per year globally). The local market for it in many African countries have also been proven in countries such as Madagascar, Mali, Burkina Faso and many others. In remote areas of these countries the realisable price of jatropha oil is higher than 1 USD per litre because of the high “transport premium”. This along with huge availability of wasted land, low labour costs, high unemployment and high demand for by-products presents huge opportunities for jatropha in many African countries.

Jatropha plantations have potential to generate CO2 certificates for the carbon sequestered by the plantations and also the emission savings through the use of jatropha oil. Project Development Documents for CO2 certificates from jatropha plantations have been developed both in the context of the UN sponsored “Clean Development Mechanism” and the “Gold Standard” certification.

A higher and more widespread level of awareness regarding what has been achieved and future potential, both at the policy and at the larger business levels will attract more interest and result in further enrichment within the system.

Jatropha cultivation can be extremely relevant for developmental policy in tropical countries. Its adaptability to sub-optimal soils, suitability for small-scale as well as industrial farming, employment generation potential in weaker areas, ability to support an industry with raw material and potential to produce environmentally positive fuels for local consumption and export make it an ideal tool for inclusive development, climate smart agriculture and effective developmental aid programmes.