Jatropha fuels country's hope for cheaper bio-diesel
Tacloban City (June 19) -- Just like many other countries of the world, the Philippines has always been dependent on imported fossil oil for its fuel requirements. Aside from draining the country's financial resources, there is no saying when the fossil fuel deposits will be depleted. There is no knowing whether the Arab countries will be able to supply fuel to the whole world eternally.
It is, therefore, imperative, for the country to look for alternative sources of renewable fuel. Fortunately, the Philippines is abundantly rich in plants which are sources of fuel.
One of these, is jatropha or what is popularly known as tuba tuba which abounds on the tropical regions and which has been used as a source of oil for lighting purposes in the homes before the second World War.
The plant grows to about 10 to 15 feet tall, full of branches and leaves within the period of three years. Of the four varieties of Jatropha namely jatropha curcas, jatropha glanduflifera, jatropha gossypifilia and jatropha pattanica, a friend from India said that jatropha curcas is the variety that gives high yield of jathropha oil.
Jatropha trees grow from seeds. Jatropha seedlings are planted two meters apart in barren lands or in between coconut trees. This could also be planted on boundaries as fencing because no stray cattle or animals would eat it.
On the eighth month, the jatropha tree starts flowering and fruits ripen within 45 days. This Indian friend from the state of Kerala, said that for the first flowering there will only be one of two bunches of fruits and the fruit will have very few seeds.
It is advised that the branches be pruned after harvesting the fruits so that each branch will split into two branches and grow further. Within three months, flowers will again blossom and will do just that all year round.
On the second year, the minimum harvest is three kilograms of seeds per tree, on the third year, five to seven kilos, on the fourth year, ten to twelve kilos and on the fifth year onwards up to fifteen kilos depending on the soil condition. The good thing is that the life of the jatropha tree spans 50 to 55 years.
When 3.5 kilograms of Jatropha seeds are expelled, one liter or Jatropha oil is generated. All petroleum companies in India buy any quantum of Jatropha Oil at the rate of INR 25 per liter or PhP 29.07.
If 1000 jatropha trees are planted in one acre of land, this will mean that on the 5th year, the farmer will produce 15,000 liters of Japtropha oil and earn at least PhP 436, 050 in one harvest season.
Petroleum companies extract the glycerin content from the Jatropha oil and add some chemicals to make bio-diesel. Glycerin is used for many industrial applications and the oil cakes are used as insecticide and fertilizer.
Ironically, the first diesel engine ever made, in 1893, was powered by peanut oil- a biofuel. By the 1920's the petroleum industry had all but eliminated the biofuel infrastructure and usurped the market with petrodiesel because it was cheaper to produce.
Even then, the engine's inventor, Rudolf Diesel, maintained that "the use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time."
Now, almost a century later, the world has no choice but to listen. As time goes by and global reserves of fossil fuels shrink, the biofuel industries have to grow up fast, and the Philippines is in a good position to step up to the opportunity.
The legislators should pass the law on alternative sources of energy and give tax concessions or other financial incentives to biofuel companies and consumers to speed up the progress, and urge investors from other nations to do the same.
With biofuels, we can help, not only to heal and preserve the air, the land, our own physical health and peace, not only to have a ready stock of cheaper biodiesel but also fuel the enthusiasm of every Filipino to continue working together to move the country towards the economic prosperity that the government and the people are wanting to achieve. (PIA 8)
06/19/2006
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060619.htm&no=10
It is, therefore, imperative, for the country to look for alternative sources of renewable fuel. Fortunately, the Philippines is abundantly rich in plants which are sources of fuel.
One of these, is jatropha or what is popularly known as tuba tuba which abounds on the tropical regions and which has been used as a source of oil for lighting purposes in the homes before the second World War.
The plant grows to about 10 to 15 feet tall, full of branches and leaves within the period of three years. Of the four varieties of Jatropha namely jatropha curcas, jatropha glanduflifera, jatropha gossypifilia and jatropha pattanica, a friend from India said that jatropha curcas is the variety that gives high yield of jathropha oil.
Jatropha trees grow from seeds. Jatropha seedlings are planted two meters apart in barren lands or in between coconut trees. This could also be planted on boundaries as fencing because no stray cattle or animals would eat it.
On the eighth month, the jatropha tree starts flowering and fruits ripen within 45 days. This Indian friend from the state of Kerala, said that for the first flowering there will only be one of two bunches of fruits and the fruit will have very few seeds.
It is advised that the branches be pruned after harvesting the fruits so that each branch will split into two branches and grow further. Within three months, flowers will again blossom and will do just that all year round.
On the second year, the minimum harvest is three kilograms of seeds per tree, on the third year, five to seven kilos, on the fourth year, ten to twelve kilos and on the fifth year onwards up to fifteen kilos depending on the soil condition. The good thing is that the life of the jatropha tree spans 50 to 55 years.
When 3.5 kilograms of Jatropha seeds are expelled, one liter or Jatropha oil is generated. All petroleum companies in India buy any quantum of Jatropha Oil at the rate of INR 25 per liter or PhP 29.07.
If 1000 jatropha trees are planted in one acre of land, this will mean that on the 5th year, the farmer will produce 15,000 liters of Japtropha oil and earn at least PhP 436, 050 in one harvest season.
Petroleum companies extract the glycerin content from the Jatropha oil and add some chemicals to make bio-diesel. Glycerin is used for many industrial applications and the oil cakes are used as insecticide and fertilizer.
Ironically, the first diesel engine ever made, in 1893, was powered by peanut oil- a biofuel. By the 1920's the petroleum industry had all but eliminated the biofuel infrastructure and usurped the market with petrodiesel because it was cheaper to produce.
Even then, the engine's inventor, Rudolf Diesel, maintained that "the use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time."
Now, almost a century later, the world has no choice but to listen. As time goes by and global reserves of fossil fuels shrink, the biofuel industries have to grow up fast, and the Philippines is in a good position to step up to the opportunity.
The legislators should pass the law on alternative sources of energy and give tax concessions or other financial incentives to biofuel companies and consumers to speed up the progress, and urge investors from other nations to do the same.
With biofuels, we can help, not only to heal and preserve the air, the land, our own physical health and peace, not only to have a ready stock of cheaper biodiesel but also fuel the enthusiasm of every Filipino to continue working together to move the country towards the economic prosperity that the government and the people are wanting to achieve. (PIA 8)
06/19/2006
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060619.htm&no=10
posted by GeorgeM | 2:53 AM
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