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| − | | + | = Overview<br/> = |
| − | {{Revision|This article is very short. If this is an interesting topic then add some more information, for example What is Jatropha?, What are its advantages / disadvantages?.}}
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| − | = Introduction<br/> = | + | |
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| | Jatropha is a feedstock for biofuels. It can be grown in very poor soils actually generating top soil as it goes, is drought and pest resilient, and it has seeds with up to 40% oil content. | | Jatropha is a feedstock for biofuels. It can be grown in very poor soils actually generating top soil as it goes, is drought and pest resilient, and it has seeds with up to 40% oil content. |
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| − | [[File:Jatropha Seeds.jpg|right|200px|alt=Jatropha Seeds.jpg]]Here are some facts and figures about Jatropha relating to its growth as an oil product: | + | [[File:Jatropha Seeds.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Jatropha Seeds (Ethiopia, BSH - protos project)|alt=Jatropha Seeds.jpg]]<u>Here are some facts and figures about Jatropha relating to its growth as an oil product:</u> |
| | + | *Jatropha grows well on low fertility soils however increased yields can be obtained using a fertilizer containing small amounts of magnesium, sulphur, and calcium. |
| | + | *Jatropha can be intercropped with many cash crops such as coffee, sugar, fruits and vegetables with the Jatropha offering both fertilizer and protection against livestock. |
| | + | *Jatropha needs at least 600mm of rain annually to thrive however it can survive three years of drought by dropping its leaves. |
| | + | *Jatropha is excellent at preventing soil erosion, and the leaves it drops act as a wonderful soil enriching mulch. |
| | + | *Jatropha prefers alkaline soils.<ref name="http://www.reuk.co.uk/Jatropha-for-Biodiesel-Figures.htm">http://www.reuk.co.uk/Jatropha-for-Biodiesel-Figures.htm</ref> |
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| − | - Jatropha grows well on low fertility soils however increased yields can be obtained using a fertilizer containing small amounts of magnesium, sulphur, and calcium.<br/>- Jatropha can be intercropped with many cash crops such as coffee, sugar, fruits and vegetables with the Jatropha offering both fertilizer and protection against livestock.<br/>- Jatropha needs at least 600mm of rain annually to thrive however it can survive three years of drought by dropping its leaves.<br/>- Jatropha is excellent at preventing soil erosion, and the leaves it drops act as a wonderful soil enriching mulch.<br/>- Jatropha prefers alkaline soils.<ref name="http://www.reuk.co.uk/Jatropha-for-Biodiesel-Figures.htm">http://www.reuk.co.uk/Jatropha-for-Biodiesel-Figures.htm</ref>
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| | = Jatropha Growing<br/> = | | = Jatropha Growing<br/> = |
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| | <br/> | | <br/> |
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| − | === Jatropha Oil Extraction<br/> ===
| + | '''Jatropha Oil Extraction:'''<br/> |
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| | Before extraction, the seeds are is usually dried and cleaned. Cleaning the seed is to eliminate foreign material that may damage the oil extraction machine, while heating the seeds by leaving them in the sun or by roasting them gently for ten minutes, improving oil extraction efficiency of the hand expellers. Oil extraction can be done by both hand and machine. Traditional oil extraction methods are highly labour intensive, requiring some 12 hours to produce one litre of oil. The process requires roasting the seed kernels, pounding them to a paste, adding water and boiling, and then separating the oil by skimming and filtering. | | Before extraction, the seeds are is usually dried and cleaned. Cleaning the seed is to eliminate foreign material that may damage the oil extraction machine, while heating the seeds by leaving them in the sun or by roasting them gently for ten minutes, improving oil extraction efficiency of the hand expellers. Oil extraction can be done by both hand and machine. Traditional oil extraction methods are highly labour intensive, requiring some 12 hours to produce one litre of oil. The process requires roasting the seed kernels, pounding them to a paste, adding water and boiling, and then separating the oil by skimming and filtering. |
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| | == Experiences from Cambodia<br/> == | | == Experiences from Cambodia<br/> == |
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| − | Due to very high diesel prices (more than 1.25 USD per liter), rural electrification with jatropha, which is already used in Cambodia, seemed an interesting option to try. | + | Due to very high diesel prices (more than 1.25 USD per liter), rural electrification with jatropha, which is already used in [[Cambodia Energy Situation|Cambodia]], seemed an interesting option to try. |
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| − | In the rural community of Poy Char around 1,300 people (360 households) benefit from a mini-grid operated by a Rural Electricity Enterprisse (REE), where affordable electricity is partly generated through locally planted and processed jatropha oil (currently 20%, will be increased to up to 30% next year). Thus, the population of Poy Char has – for the first time – access to grid electricity (5-6hrs/day, this will be extended if demand is sufficient). The population benefits from improved lighting (CFL instead of kerosene lamps) and the usage of other electrical appliances (e.g. b/w t.v.), which improve their living condition. Thanks to the jatropha share, which will be increased further, electricity costs are lower in Poy Char than in communities nearby where power is generated by 100% diesel. Also, farmers have an additional income opportunity by planting jatropha. First signs of productive use of electricity have been registered, for example usage of light for additional income generating activities in the evening (tailoring, repairing, teaching, etc.). | + | In the rural community of Poy Char around 1,300 people (360 households) benefit from a mini-grid operated by a '''Rural Electricity Enterprisse (REE)''', where affordable electricity is partly generated through locally planted and processed jatropha oil (currently 20%, will be increased to up to 30% next year). Thus, the population of Poy Char has – for the first time – access to grid electricity (5-6hrs/day, this will be extended if demand is sufficient). The population benefits from improved lighting (CFL instead of kerosene lamps) and the usage of other electrical appliances (e.g. b/w t.v.), which improve their living condition. Thanks to the jatropha share, which will be increased further, electricity costs are lower in Poy Char than in communities nearby where power is generated by 100% diesel. Also, farmers have an additional income opportunity by planting jatropha. First signs of productive use of electricity have been registered, for example usage of light for additional income generating activities in the evening (tailoring, repairing, teaching, etc.). |
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| | To increase the share of jatropha, farmer contracts have recently been signed between the operator of the REE and farmers growing jatropha in order to increase planning reliability on both sides. Through this, additional 20 ha of jatropha could be planted and the harvesting of existing fields was intensified. Technical assistance with regards to jatropha growing, pruning and harvesting methods as well as with regards to the generator and the business management of the REE (marketing, book keeping, etc.) have been provided. A jatropha focal person was named, who supports farmers with information on growing jatropha, facilitates jatropha trading and builds awareness within the community. | | To increase the share of jatropha, farmer contracts have recently been signed between the operator of the REE and farmers growing jatropha in order to increase planning reliability on both sides. Through this, additional 20 ha of jatropha could be planted and the harvesting of existing fields was intensified. Technical assistance with regards to jatropha growing, pruning and harvesting methods as well as with regards to the generator and the business management of the REE (marketing, book keeping, etc.) have been provided. A jatropha focal person was named, who supports farmers with information on growing jatropha, facilitates jatropha trading and builds awareness within the community. |
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| | Local jatropha planting, harvesting and processing has promoted in the village, with support of the monk, the school teacher and plantation owners, planting trainings have been held and villagers were trained in the handling of the plants. The operator and new focal point for jatropha are the main driving forces for jatropha activities in Paoy Char. | | Local jatropha planting, harvesting and processing has promoted in the village, with support of the monk, the school teacher and plantation owners, planting trainings have been held and villagers were trained in the handling of the plants. The operator and new focal point for jatropha are the main driving forces for jatropha activities in Paoy Char. |
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| | === Electricity === | | === Electricity === |
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| | *The seedcake is sold as fertilizer (1300kg sold in 2011 to farmers for fruit crops plantation) | | *The seedcake is sold as fertilizer (1300kg sold in 2011 to farmers for fruit crops plantation) |
| | *2700 KWh (6rs/day - 2hrs morning (30kW), 4hrs evening (70 kW) | | *2700 KWh (6rs/day - 2hrs morning (30kW), 4hrs evening (70 kW) |
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| | === Jatropha Plantation === | | === Jatropha Plantation === |
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| | *the yields are still very low as th eplant are still young, cultivation has not been well and deseases and floods have negativley affected the plants (250 kg/month or 490 l/month - no fruits in fall 2011 because of the flooding | | *the yields are still very low as th eplant are still young, cultivation has not been well and deseases and floods have negativley affected the plants (250 kg/month or 490 l/month - no fruits in fall 2011 because of the flooding |
| | *likely connection to the grid to come - question of PPA for operator or shift to a new location | | *likely connection to the grid to come - question of PPA for operator or shift to a new location |
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| | === Economic Activity === | | === Economic Activity === |
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| | *So far, economic activity created through the availability of electricity has been marginal (evening tailor shop/teaching/repairing) | | *So far, economic activity created through the availability of electricity has been marginal (evening tailor shop/teaching/repairing) |
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| | === Challenges and Lessons Learnt === | | === Challenges and Lessons Learnt === |
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| | *Ensure ownership and sustainability – especially when dealing with electricity, a long-term perspective needs to be adopted, i.e. that ownership and sustainability have to be ensured as economic benefits will only show after some time. Not only the commune – both the private (future) users of the service, but also the public side – has to be involved; but more important, engage the private sector! A private company will only invest if it sees benefits in the project; hence engaging it in a public-private partnership makes sense to guarantee future involvement, even after the project’s end | | *Ensure ownership and sustainability – especially when dealing with electricity, a long-term perspective needs to be adopted, i.e. that ownership and sustainability have to be ensured as economic benefits will only show after some time. Not only the commune – both the private (future) users of the service, but also the public side – has to be involved; but more important, engage the private sector! A private company will only invest if it sees benefits in the project; hence engaging it in a public-private partnership makes sense to guarantee future involvement, even after the project’s end |
| | *Provide trainings – it’s a new service, a new technology, which requires training for the villagers not only about the technical aspects, but also about safety measures. At the same time, possibilities of how electricity can be used for economic activities beyond TV and karaoke should be introduced– e.g. providing training to sewers on how to increase their productivity with electric sewing machines. This will ensure that the new local electricity grid will contribute to the creation of jobs and the generation of income; hence, to economic development and eventually poverty alleviation. | | *Provide trainings – it’s a new service, a new technology, which requires training for the villagers not only about the technical aspects, but also about safety measures. At the same time, possibilities of how electricity can be used for economic activities beyond TV and karaoke should be introduced– e.g. providing training to sewers on how to increase their productivity with electric sewing machines. This will ensure that the new local electricity grid will contribute to the creation of jobs and the generation of income; hence, to economic development and eventually poverty alleviation. |
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| | === Conclusion === | | === Conclusion === |
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| | *[http://www.jatropha-alliance.org www.jatropha-alliance.org] and its [http://www.jatropha-alliance.org/fileadmin/documents/knowledgepool/Rijssenbeek_Jatropha_Handbook.pdf Jatropha Handbook] | | *[http://www.jatropha-alliance.org www.jatropha-alliance.org] and its [http://www.jatropha-alliance.org/fileadmin/documents/knowledgepool/Rijssenbeek_Jatropha_Handbook.pdf Jatropha Handbook] |
| | *[http://www.snvworld.org/en/Documents/FACT_Foundation_Jatropha_Handbook_2010.pdf Fact Foundation Jatropha Handbook] | | *[http://www.snvworld.org/en/Documents/FACT_Foundation_Jatropha_Handbook_2010.pdf Fact Foundation Jatropha Handbook] |
| − | *[http://www.jatrophabook.com www.jatrophabook.com] | + | *[http://www.jatrophabook.com jatrophabook.com] |
| − | *[http://www.jatropha.de www.jatropha.de] | + | *[http://www.jatropha.de jatropha.de] |
| − | *<u>German:</u> [[:File:DE Jatropha Wunderpflanzer Sackgasse oder Neuanfang, Dokumentation Netzwerktreffen Bioenergie für Entwicklung 2 Jatropha.pdf|Jatropha: Wunderpflanze, Sackgasse oder Neuanfang?]] | + | *[[:File:DE Jatropha Wunderpflanzer Sackgasse oder Neuanfang, Dokumentation Netzwerktreffen Bioenergie für Entwicklung 2 Jatropha.pdf|Jatropha: Wunderpflanze, Sackgasse oder Neuanfang?]] (*German) |
| | + | *[[Stove by BSH (protos)|Stove by BSH (protos)]] |
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| | [[Category:Biofuel]] | | [[Category:Biofuel]] |
| | [[Category:Cambodia]] | | [[Category:Cambodia]] |
| | + | [[Category:Lessons_Learned]] |
| | [[Category:Vegetable_Oil]] | | [[Category:Vegetable_Oil]] |
Jatropha is a feedstock for biofuels. It can be grown in very poor soils actually generating top soil as it goes, is drought and pest resilient, and it has seeds with up to 40% oil content.
Correct pruning is vital to achieve high yields. Ideally, stems are pruned just above the ground to achieve bush-like plants with many branches. A good plant should have bunches of Jatropha fruits at every end of a branch. In the first years, patience is needed: Jatropha bushes need about 4 to 5 years until full production capacity is reached. Achievable yields then can reach 4 to 5 tons per ha per year.
When planted in a plantation, 1,300 plants can be found in 1 ha (2.5 meters between the planys, 3 meters between the rows). Then, 3.8 kg seeds/year/plant should be reached in theory. Yet, single bushes cannot be compared to bushes in plantations that easily (e.g. lower access to minerals, etc.), so the yield per tree will probably be a bit lower.
When starting a jatropha plantation with the aim to produce oil for electricity generation, potential land use conflicts with food cropping must be avoided.
Before extraction, the seeds are is usually dried and cleaned. Cleaning the seed is to eliminate foreign material that may damage the oil extraction machine, while heating the seeds by leaving them in the sun or by roasting them gently for ten minutes, improving oil extraction efficiency of the hand expellers. Oil extraction can be done by both hand and machine. Traditional oil extraction methods are highly labour intensive, requiring some 12 hours to produce one litre of oil. The process requires roasting the seed kernels, pounding them to a paste, adding water and boiling, and then separating the oil by skimming and filtering.
Being rich in nitrogen, the seed cake of the oil extraction process is good excellent source of nutrients and can be applied as an organic fertilizer.
Oil from Jatropha seeds can be used to fuel diesel generators adapted to be operted with vegetable oils. The oil is usually filtered through a cloth before poured into the generator.
Due to very high diesel prices (more than 1.25 USD per liter), rural electrification with jatropha, which is already used in Cambodia, seemed an interesting option to try.
In the rural community of Poy Char around 1,300 people (360 households) benefit from a mini-grid operated by a Rural Electricity Enterprisse (REE), where affordable electricity is partly generated through locally planted and processed jatropha oil (currently 20%, will be increased to up to 30% next year). Thus, the population of Poy Char has – for the first time – access to grid electricity (5-6hrs/day, this will be extended if demand is sufficient). The population benefits from improved lighting (CFL instead of kerosene lamps) and the usage of other electrical appliances (e.g. b/w t.v.), which improve their living condition. Thanks to the jatropha share, which will be increased further, electricity costs are lower in Poy Char than in communities nearby where power is generated by 100% diesel. Also, farmers have an additional income opportunity by planting jatropha. First signs of productive use of electricity have been registered, for example usage of light for additional income generating activities in the evening (tailoring, repairing, teaching, etc.).
To increase the share of jatropha, farmer contracts have recently been signed between the operator of the REE and farmers growing jatropha in order to increase planning reliability on both sides. Through this, additional 20 ha of jatropha could be planted and the harvesting of existing fields was intensified. Technical assistance with regards to jatropha growing, pruning and harvesting methods as well as with regards to the generator and the business management of the REE (marketing, book keeping, etc.) have been provided. A jatropha focal person was named, who supports farmers with information on growing jatropha, facilitates jatropha trading and builds awareness within the community.
Jatropha oil for diesel generator to power the small village grid had already been used before GIZ was involved. The operator had experimented himself before and had collected jatropha from existing bushes in the village. When the first village got grid connected, the opertor trnsferred his enetrprise to a new village and started from scatch. The generator was damaged as a consequence of jatropha oil usage which is why only diesel was used again. Then, the generator was modified with GIZ support to be suitable for Jatropha use and transferred to new location without access to the grid (the former village had been connected to the grid in the meantime) – PPP (for generator adaptation/ expertise).
Local jatropha planting, harvesting and processing has promoted in the village, with support of the monk, the school teacher and plantation owners, planting trainings have been held and villagers were trained in the handling of the plants. The operator and new focal point for jatropha are the main driving forces for jatropha activities in Paoy Char.
