Jai Hind to Jatropha: CSIR Fuels Research on Biodiesel Production

Jai Hind to Jatropha

CSIR Fuels Research on Biodiesel Production

{Feature has been uploaded by CSIR (Unit for Science Dissemination), Ministry of Science & Technology, New Delhi}

Nature has it all. Whether it is food, fibre, fuel or a drug formulation, Nature has an answer to all our needs. It is only the judicious use of the myriad gifts of Nature that is important for our sustenance and well-being. Alas, it does not always happen. Take for example the Earth’s rich reserves of petroleum: a product of ancient biomass transformed, over geological time, under high temperature and pressure. The increasing use of these fossil fuels the world over today grimly reminds us of the fact that the finite reserves of such fuels may exhaust sooner than later. Besides, oil extraction and refining procedures are costly. Reflected in the rising price of petrol and diesel, the challenge of excessive demand of these fuels over their limited supply has today severely hit the country’s economy.

The solution to the challenge of depleting natural reserves of oil has come from Nature again. Thanks to the naturally gifted crop, Jatropha curcas, which is today well recognized as the source for producing biofuel that is significantly cheaper than crude oil. Although a native to Central America, Jatropha is a small tree of Euphorbiaceae family that today grows in many tropical and subtropical areas, including India, Africa, and North America. The mature trees bear separate male and female flowers. Fruits are ovoid in shape and the seeds on maturation are dried before oil extracton.

The prime ingredient in the manufacture of biodiesel is vegetable oil like sunflower, soya or peanut oil. But as these oils are edible and expensive, they are not used for bio-diesel production. On the other hand, Jatropha produces oil-rich seeds from which oil can be easily extracted and processed for producing bio-diesel. The seeds contain about 30-35% of oil. Amazingly, Jatropha may yield more than four times as much fuel per hectare as soybean and more than ten times than that produced by maize. Moreover, as Jatropha contains several toxic compounds, such as lectin, saponin, carcinogenic phorbol, and a trypsin inhibitor, its untreated seeds are not fit for human consumption. As Jatropha oil burns with a clear smokeless flame, it can also be used as a kerosene substitute.

Jatropha is a hardy plant that is resistant to drought and pests. Moreover, it can be grown in soils having low fertility, although crop yield can be enhanced using fertilizers containing magnesium, sulphur, and calcium. The yield of seeds from Jatropha cultivation can range from 1,500 to 2,000 kilograms per hectare that corresponds to extractable oil yield of about 540 to 680 litres per hectare. The remaining press cake of jatropha seeds after oil extraction can also be used for energy production. The processed oil from Jatropha seeds can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines. It can also be blended with conventional diesel to avoid the need for engine modification. The process of converting vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel is called ‘transesterification’. An important by-product of biodiesel refinement is glycerol.

The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow is a forerunner in biodiesel and other hydrocarbon plants research. The focus on harvesting energy from biomass began with the initiative of Prof. T. N. Khoshoo, who encouraged scientists to initiate collection of germplasm. Dr. H. M. Behl, who had done extensive work on guayule (Parthenium argentatum) joined this Project. Under the guidance of Dr. P. Pushpangadan, former Director, NBRI, the team ventured further in harnessing the potential of oil crops for production of biofuels. NBRI scientists have developed protocols for extraction of oil from the seeds of Jatropha curcas, Madhuca indica, Salvadora species and Pongamia pinnata for use as biodiesel. The extracted oil is transesterified and tested as biodiesel. It is tested for use in stationery motors as well as for automobiles. The oil is also processed for removal of gums, free fatty acids, water and other suspended or solid particles. For screening the germplasm of this oil crop, NBRI scientists collected the seeds of Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata from various parts of the country and evaluated them for their morphological traits, oil quantity and quality using specialized techniques. Nursery experiments such as inoculation with microbes, hardening of the saplings for long distance transportation and raising healthy plants have also been attempted. Production of biofuels holds enormous potential for farmers, as the basic source of such fuels is crops. This would help farmers to not only grow their income but also generate their own supply of affordable energy, thus boosting rural economy. As biofuels produce fewer emission of carbon monoxide and toxic chemicals that cause vehicular pollution, they are called ‘green fuels’ that are a safer option to petrol and diesel, while having a potential to lower global warming. Moreover, biofuels would reduce the burden of importing huge quantity of crude oil. Undoubtedly, production of biofuels is poised to benefit one and all. The oil from Jatropha curcas seeds is used for making biodiesel fuel in Philippines and in Brazil. Jatropha oil is being promoted as an easily grown biofuel crop in many countries including India. Interestingly, the first successful trial run of passenger trains on 5% biodiesel was conducted in 2003 with the Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express with a 4000 HP engine. Southern Railways, at its Perambur Loco Works Laboratory, Chennai, has set-up a pilot plant for biodiesel production and has been using 5% biodiesel in some of its locomotives since July 2004. The railway line between Mumbai and Delhi is planted with Jatropha and the train itself runs on 15-20% biodiesel. It is also a heartening fact that biofuels have also been tested as a substitute to aviation fuels.  Air New Zealand successfully completed a test flight in 2008 from Auckland using a 50/50 mixture of jatropha oil -derived biofuel and Jet engine fuel, while in a similar feat in early 2009, Continental Airlines completed such a successful two-hour test flight, signifying the importance of cheaper, environment-friendly alternatives to fossil fuels.