And get lost in the diesel desert

The jatropha - a tree whose fruit contains a lot of oil may be a substitute for diesel that will provide a livelihood for farmers and stop desertification

A short time ago I wrote about "alternative fuel" when one of the first places is occupied by "biodiesel" - fuel (for diesel engines) produced from plants. In various parts of the world - especially in the "Third World" countries, the development of biodiesel occupies a significant place in order to avoid the polluting path that the West has taken. In the "Third World" countries, an industry/growing of plants is developing from which low-carbon vegetable oil can be produced from the vegetable oil, bio-fuel distillers .

One of the most important candidates as a plant for biodiesel production is the jatropha tree (Jatropha curcas). The tree/shrub belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family and originates from Central America Euphorbiaceae and throughout history was distributed in India, South America and Africa when its traditional use was to extract the oil from its seeds, an oil that was used for cooking, food, cosmetics, and traditional medicines, the tree that in many places was used as a hedge around cultivated areas gives fruit already after a year (from its sowing) and reaches maximum yield after about 5 years, (about 500 kg per dunam) in simple processing without fertilization and/or irrigation.

The tree can be grown in areas where conditions are difficult - drought, poor soil, etc., thus utilizing areas that are not suitable for other crops. Its cultivation is cheaper than many of the plants that are candidates for use as a source of biodiesel (sunflowers, soybeans, etc.) crops that today are subsidized in the West, as well as its cultivation in "damaged" areas improves the soil, and restores its vitality to the area, this with minimal initial expenses since it can be grown in "semi-desert" conditions. At the edge of the desert, there is added value in preventing the desertification of additional areas, if there is enough water in the planted area, seasonal vegetables can be grown between the rows of trees, again improving the soil and, of course, the conditions of the growers.

Another added value is the fact that: planting, handling, picking and collecting the fruit is done by hand, which means providing employment and livelihood to residents in areas where livelihood is lacking. Considering the fact that in many countries the "small" farmers are unable to compete with intensive agriculture and because of the changing conditions (in the form of drought, etc.) are unable to make a living from traditional crops, growing jatropha is an excellent solution. Pick the dry fruits from which separate the seeds which contain about 40% - 60% oil. After the oil has been squeezed and refined, it can be used as bio-fuel for diesel engines, which gives an output like diesel fuel, it can also be mixed with diesel fuel, but when the engine is powered by bio-diesel, the emission of pollutants is minimal and, of course, its price is much lower.

The pollutant emission level of biodiesel compared to diesel is: particulates 30%, carbon monoxide 50%, nitrous oxide 50%, carbon dioxide 30%. In addition, biodiesel is a non-toxic biodegradable material. The refining process does not use water, so it can also be done in arid areas, when the "plant" is powered by biodiesel.

The by-products that remain after squeezing and refining the oil can be used in the cosmetics industry, as feed for cattle and for fertilizing the fields. From an area of ​​100 thousand dunams, about 20,000 tons of seeds can be produced, of which about 8,000 tons of biodiesel. European companies are already signing supply agreements with countries throughout the "Third World" where trees are already being planted and refineries are being established. In India, 300 million dollars were allocated for this, with the aim of using about 5% of the diesel consumption already in 2006 and in the following stages to reach 20%, which will require crops in an area of ​​about 20 million dunams.

Considering the fact that areas of about one and a half billion dunams (in India) have lost their vitality (sweeping, drying, damage to fertility) and cannot be used traditionally, there is room on the one hand and on the other hand there are farmers who need a replacement.

In the Philippines, coconut plantations in an area of ​​about 100.00 dunams are used to utilize the coconut oil to create biodiesel, when the intention is to plant jatropha between the coconut trees and thus increase the utilization of the area, in the next step, jatropha trees will be planted in additional coconut areas totaling about 250,000 dunams. When a large part of the produce is exported to Japan and China.

In Africa, agricultural areas that have been damaged due to overexploitation at the same time as climate change are expanding, such and other areas are intended for the planting of jatropha trees that will restore their vitality and give their inhabitants the possibility of existence.

Recently, the President of Zimbabwe announced that "in order to free his country from dependence on "imperialist fuel", thousands of dunams of jatropha will be planted "to supply the country's fuel consumption" in a special circular distributed among ranchers and farmers. , nurseries where seedlings can be purchased, so everyone is called to harness up for the "fuel revolution" that will give back to farmers the possibility of living on their land and to the country its economic independence? I wish

It turns out that the fuel can be produced by simple means, by squeezing the seeds, the resulting oil is used to run large diesel engines, it can also be used for small engines, but then a primary tank is needed with mineral diesel fuel for propulsion, (we used to drive large tractors this way) that is The jatropha growers will be able to produce themselves - for themselves the bio-fuel they will need for regular use.

The idea of ​​biodiesel that is gaining momentum is not new. Diesel engine builder Rudolph Diesel ran his first engine with peanut oil. One hundred years later, the insight into the advantages of vegetable oil over mineral diesel penetrates. An advantage in cost and above all an advantage in reducing the emission of pollutants, we can only hope that the jatropha tree will live up to the expectations planted in it and maybe find a place here as well.