Turning to jatropha for fuel

Jatropha, growing wild all over the country under various local names, is a potential source for fuel and can gradually replace costly diesel, petrol and even octane

by Shafiq Rahman 

Fuel from the fruit jatropha is not only capable of making wheel turn, but has the potential to galvanize the entire economy of the nation. In today’s world this is known as bio-fuel. It can be used as an alternative to diesel. If refined, it can substitute petrol, even octane. However, due to lack of awareness on the part of the country’s policymakers, ignorance of bureaucrats about jatropha and no initiative from entrepreneurs in this regard, this prospective sector lies dormant. Yet jatropha is being cultivated widely in many countries, even in neighbouring countries of Bangladesh.
The Bio-Fuel Development Company has been working in Bangladesh over the past two years, raising awareness among policymakers and farmers alike about jatropha cultivation and producing fuel from this fruit. This company has opened the Jatropha Cultivation and Research Development Centre at Mymensingh. Ehsan Imdad, President and Chief Visionary Officer of the Bio-Fuel Development Company, says, “Considering the present gas reserves of Bangladesh, and in the event that no further reserves are discovered, then in a matter of years the gas will be exhausted. Diesel will be the only fuel to rely on. It will be a daunting challenge for Bangladesh to depend on diesel import. So the government must look towards jatropha as an alternative source of fuel. Unfortunately, our policymakers remain indecisive on the issue.”
“The government will have to put a ‘buy back system’ in place for the farmers,” says Ehsan Imdad, talking about possible government cooperation regarding cultivation of jatropha and producing its oil. He says, “All over the world, jatropha cultivation and production of its oil is being done on the basis of public-private partnership.”
According to records, Bangladesh’s annual requirement of energy fuel is 37 lac metric tonnes. Of this 24 lac metric tonnes is diesel and the remaining is petrol and octane. Annually, 21 thousand crore taka is spent for this. However, if Bangladesh would produce fuel from jatropha, dependence of imported fuel would fall. In fact, experts maintain that if jatropha was cultivated properly, it could meet the entire country’s requirements. Each litre of jatropha fuel would cost 34 taka.
Cropland or arable land is not required to cultivate jatropha. Wasteland is good enough to grow this plant. It can be grown alongside the railway lines, by the roads and highways, by LGED roads, on river embankments, coastal lines and hilly areas. It can also be grown by homesteads, on the aisles of crop fields and other available land. Jatropha does not even need extra care.
It is estimated that there is about 37 lac hectares of wasteland in Bangladesh. Says Ehsan Imdad, “It is possible to grow 1300 plants per hectare. So even if jatropha is planted on seven lac hectares of land, a total of 37 lac metric tonnes of fuel could be produced annually.”
Interestingly, jatropha grows almost everywhere is Bangladesh. However, it is known commonly known in the country as jatropha. In various places it is called beron, berenda, aronda and behaya plants. These grow wild in forests, fields and shrubberies. It is generally considered as a wild plant and people are unaware of its use. While small, it is often uprooted and thrown away as unwanted weeds. Yet each of these plants can live up till 45 years and can become full grown trees if allowed to survive. Each tree produces huge amounts of jatropha fruit every year. However, the people are ignorant about its economic value. Ehsan Imdad says, “These trees produce fruit when two years old and live for 45 years. So as fuel demands increase each year, the trees grow too and produce more and more fruit. This meets the increasing demand for fuel. This is not possible from any other source.”
For long now, the cover of the fruit has been used in the making of ayurvedic medicines. In the forties, an Indian ayurvedic institute first made oil from jatropha. The institute’s present name is Nandan Biometrics. After that, jatropha has been cultivated in 32 countries of the world, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Mexico, South Africa, Tunisia, China and Egypt. In India, 20% of the fuel demand is met by jatropha oil. They plan of 100% dependence on jatropha in near future. Germany meets 30% of its fuel needs with jatropha.
Despite all this, Bangladesh has failed to exploit this potential fuel plant. Ignorance of the policymakers has limited this to a pilot project. Dr. Kamal Hossain spoke against jatropha being confined to a pilot project, saying at a conference, “It’s been 37 years since independence and we are still confined to pilot projects. When will we go for implementation? The country wasn’t made independent as a pilot project.”
Another plus point about jatropha is that it is above the current global debate about bio-fuel. Jatropha is not a food item. It needn’t be grown on cropland. Ehsan Imdad says, “Not only will fuel be produced from jatropha, it will have by-products too. This includes vegetable fat, oil cakes and glycerin. Its cultivation will promote afforestation and environmental protection as well as generate employment. All this will be possible if the government extends its cooperation.”

Advantages of Jatropha

l Jatropha can be grown in less productive areas, shallow fields, rocky terrains and areas with scanty or excess rainfall.
l Animals do not consume jatropha, hence it could be used on mass level to improvise barren land.
l Jatropha could be easily grown from stem and seeds.
l It grows extremely fast.
l Within 2 years of plantation, it starts to produce seeds and keeps on producing until the age of 50 years.
l For one hectare of plantation, depending on density and quantity, 3-10 tonnes of Jatropha seed could be obtained.
l Jatropha is a plant with many uses, its skin produces tannin, and various parts have different medicinal properties. The oil produced by jatropha seeds has various medicinal properties.
l The latex of jatropha contains an element jatrophene which is ’Anti-Cancerous’. The extract from the leaves is used to cure piles and raw leaves help in cleaning teeth and other dental problems.
l Jatropha oil is strongest substitute for diesel. Apart from this it is used for producing soap, candles and cosmetics.
l While burning, jatropha does not emit fumes, hence in rural areas it is used for lighting purposes.
l In China jatropha oil is used for making varnish.
l The skin and leaves of jatropha are used in making dye.