Hi Isabel >Hi Keith > >It seems as if you don't think it is a good idea to use Jatropha as >a source to produce bio diesel from?
I think whether it's a good idea or not depends entirely on the immediate context of where you're planning to grow it. One of the replies you got warned you against the "silver bullet" approach. There's no magic bullet, the crop that gives the best results is the one that fits the local circumstances best, the more local the better. Like all crops, jatropha curcas has its pros and cons, some of them were also pointed out to you: "I grew Jatropha in Ruwa, about 30 km from Harare, and they did quite well there. What I found with them is the seed is very difficult to get out of the outer shell but maybe you can invent or buy a machine to do that part of the job. Have you thought of using Leucaena?" -- Jed, Mozambique "Jatropha is hardy and has a highish yield but it's also toxic. The seedcake (what's left after pressing) cannot be fed to animals. Why not convert it to biodiesel? It's better in the long run." -- Duncan, South Africa This is also in the archive, along with much else: A critique of Jatropha in India by Ashden Award winner, Pune-based botanist Dr. A. D. Karve, president of the Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) in Maharashtra, India: http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg48290.html >>Our number one choice to manufacture bio diesel from is Jatropha >>Curcas but we have been unable to obtain seeds locally or from any >>of the countries surrounding us.(South Africa) Both Jed and Duncan told you where you could get seeds, two different places, did you try them? >When I originally posed the question I only received a few messages >and none of them was negative. > >Maybe I missed something! Maybe! Do you really think those two replies are positive? >As I originally explained we know nothing about producing bio diesel >and that is why we posted our original questions and gave a brief >explanation why we though it would be best to use jatropha. > >We have literally read every article we can find about producing bio >diesel and to date have not found in our opinion any crop better >suited for us to produce bio diesel from, as a matter fact it seems >from what we have read that jatropha is the number one choice world >wide to produce bio diesel from. I'd suggest you do a little more reading. >You obviously have a lot of experience & knowledge regarding >producing bio diesel as well as what to use to do so. I wouldn't claim that, I think we're all learners. >Therefore If you believe jatropha is not the way to go it would be >greatly appreciated if you would say so & why you think so, because >as I have said before we are asking for advice and if you have >reasons to believe that jatropha is unsuitable I would like to know >about them so as to enable us to make a fully enlightened decision. I think I've said so many times, and why. The List administration told you the same thing when you joined, and made some good suggestions, but you didn't seem to notice. There is no best crop, if you think there is then you're starting in the wrong place and asking the wrong questions. Too often the result of that is that if anyone benefits it's not those who were intended to benefit, or it's at their expense. IMHO the choice isn't between jatropha and soy, it's more about the kind of project you want to do. Please see: http://journeytoforever.org/community.html Community development http://journeytoforever.org/community2.html Community development - poverty and hunger How come your reading on biodiesel hasn't revealed to you the disadvantages of soy? Eg.: >>Apart from our normal interest in Bio diesel in general, we are >>thinking of planting soybeans to manufacture bio diesel from. > >Try a good old browse in the list archives to find out why soy >biodiesel fails to meet the European biodiesel standard. How're you planning to get the oil out of the soy, with hexane? Hardly village-friendly. Beste Keith >Kind regards. > >Isabel. _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
