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Earlier this century, jatropha was hailed as a "wonder" biofuel. An unassuming shrubby tree belonging to Central America, it was extremely promoted as a high-yielding, drought-tolerant biofuel feedstock that might grow on degraded lands throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia.
A jatropha rush ensued, with more than 900,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) planted by 2008. But the bubble burst. Low yields caused plantation failures almost all over. The aftermath of the jatropha crash was polluted by allegations of land grabbing, mismanagement, and overblown carbon reduction claims.
Today, some researchers continue pursuing the evasive promise of high-yielding jatropha. A return, they say, is reliant on splitting the yield issue and resolving the damaging land-use issues intertwined with its original failure.
The sole staying large jatropha plantation is in Ghana. The plantation owner declares high-yield domesticated ranges have been attained and a brand-new boom is at hand. But even if this comeback fails, the world's experience of jatropha holds crucial lessons for any appealing up-and-coming biofuel.
At the start of the 21st century, Jatropha curcas, an unassuming shrub-like tree belonging to Central America, was planted across the world. The rush to jatropha was driven by its pledge as a sustainable source of biofuel that might be grown on broken down, unfertile lands so as not to displace food crops. But inflated claims of high yields failed.
Now, after years of research study and advancement, the sole staying large plantation focused on growing jatropha remains in Ghana. And Singapore-based jOil, which owns that plantation, declares the jatropha return is on.
"All those business that stopped working, embraced a plug-and-play model of hunting for the wild varieties of jatropha. But to commercialize it, you need to domesticate it. This is a part of the process that was missed [during the boom]," jOil CEO Vasanth Subramanian told Mongabay in an interview.
Having discovered from the mistakes of jatropha's past failures, he states the oily plant could yet play a crucial role as a liquid biofuel feedstock, minimizing transportation carbon emissions at the global level. A new boom could bring fringe benefits, with jatropha likewise a possible source of fertilizers and even bioplastics.
But some scientists are doubtful, keeping in mind that jatropha has actually currently gone through one hype-and-fizzle cycle. They caution that if the plant is to reach full capacity, then it is vital to gain from previous mistakes. During the very first boom, jatropha plantations were hampered not only by bad yields, but by land grabbing, deforestation, and social problems in nations where it was planted, consisting of Ghana, where jOil operates.
Experts likewise suggest that jatropha's tale offers lessons for scientists and entrepreneurs checking out promising brand-new sources for liquid biofuels - which exist aplenty.
Miracle shrub, significant bust
Jatropha's early 21st-century appeal stemmed from its pledge as a "second-generation" biofuel, which are sourced from yards, trees and other plants not derived from edible crops such as maize, soy or oil palm. Among its multiple purported virtues was an ability to flourish on abject or "minimal" lands
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Jatropha: the Biofuel that Bombed Seeks a Path To Redemption
Adelaida Cloutier edited this page 1 month ago