Car Articles

Read articles on cars and car industry. Get fully updated on all information related to cars. Read exciting happening in the Indian and Global Car industry, tips to help you and more...

Latest Articles

Formula One Racing Circuits...

Re-Evolve into a Greener Planet - GM Tries it with Jatropha Biodiesel

Rudolf Diesel's diesel engine allowed trains and ships to operate more efficiently with oil instead of coal. It is often reported that Diesel's engine ran on peanut oil. The engine worked so smoothly that hardly anyone was aware of it. It was built for using mineral oil but was then made to run on vegetable oil. No modifications were made to make vegetable oil compatible with the engine. In spite of the widespread use of fossil fuels, people are now becoming aware of the need for a greener world. Research on biofuels is gaining more and more importance.

General Motors and DOE

GM and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have taken a very important step. They will be partnering for five years to explore the potential of the jatropha plant as a sustainable biofuel energy crop. Yes, the jatropha which is traditionally considered a weed can be cultured to produce biodiesel. GM and DOE will soon show that jatropha oil can be produced in remarkable volumes to be converted into biodiesel. The two will experiment with new species of the plant. Varieties of the drought-resistant, non-edible weed that will be able to give very high yields and can survive in extreme climate will be grown.

India too will be a major player here. Two jatropha plots, 39.5 acre and 93.9 acre in Bhavnagar and Kalol respectively will be used for cultivation. In addition to this, the already existing 74.1 acre jatropha farm will also be managed under the project. Selective and marker-assisted breeding methods will be used for cultivation of the jatropha. The Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), with financial help from DOE and GM, will manage all three farms. The environmental impact of growing the weed will completely be evaluated and dealt with.

GM and DOE have set out to prove to the world that jatropha is marketable and practical. The planet will gradually be less and less dependent on fossil fuels, thus reducing the greenhouse effect. At the same time our country will see economic growth too.

GM's image and sales, with biodiesel-capable automobiles, is going to be enhanced. The project is also going to re-state the car maker's pledge to create green technology and alternate fuel solutions. General Motors, Coskata Inc. and Mascoma Corp. have also joined hands to create the next generation ethanol plant in Australia. So, the bio-ethanol study too is on its way.

Where does Jatropha Grow?

The jatropha plant can be grown in India, China, the Philippines, African nations, the U.S. or any other part of the globe. Research is already being conducted to see if the cultivation and oil extraction from the jatropha can be done on tough and insignificant land. The plant can also be intercropped with other commercially grown crops like coffee, sugar, fruits and vegetables. Jatropha has already been tagged as a tough plant like any other weed. It is resistant to drought and pests and its seeds hold 27-40 per cent of precious oil. Hopefully, the residue after oil extraction will also produce energy.

The cultivation of jatropha is rather easy. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions. It apparently grows on any territory, be it sandy, stony, gravelly, saline or poor soil. Complete germination of the seed takes just 9 days.

Jatropha as a Biodiesel Source

Recent study shows the Jatropha curcas as one of the best sources of future biodiesel production. However, ignorance of the plant all these years, despite its abundance, may lead to varied results in the current yields. It may not be as extensive as earlier. It cannot be clearly predicted if quality of the soil will support large scale cultivation of the weed. As of now, regions where the plant grows naturally, like the Philippines, Brazil and its surrounding areas make use of jatropha for biodiesel. The railway line between Mumbai and Delhi is planted with Jatropha and the train itself runs on 15-20 per cent biodiesel.

600-800 kilograms of jatropha seeds per acre of land can be harvested. This corresponds to extractable oil yields of 200-275 liters per acre. Study reveals the potential for as much as 6,000 litre of fuel per acre in a year. Did you know jatropha oil costs just one-third that of crude oil?

In India and Europe, we see a major part of the population depending on fossil fuels. We see great chances of replacing these fuels with sustainable jatropha-based biodiesel. The plant has great potential in a nation like ours where security issues are sensitized by dependence on imported oil.

Successful Experiments Conducted using a 50/50 Mixture of Jatropha Oil-Derived Biofuel

On Dec. 30, 2008 Air New Zealand completed a test flight from Auckland. Jet A1 used the biofuel in one of the four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines of a 747 jumbo jet. On January 7, 2009 Continental Airlines successfully completed a test flight. Jet A in one of the two CFM56 engines of a Boeing 737-800 New Generation jet used the biofuel mixture.

» Read more Articles On biodiesel