Investment Group Plants Five Thousand Acres of Jatropha For Biofuel In Yucatan Mexico
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05. 6.08
The Yucatan Peninsula, in addition to being a corn producing region in Mexico, also contains abandoned sisal plantations, where the growing of Jatropha for biodiesel production would not displace food. So this investment could make sense - depending on current land use.
Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: GCEH) through its subsidiary GCE Mexico I, LLC has acquired approximately 5,000 acres of land in the State of Yucatan in Mexico. The property will be used for the cultivation of Jatropha curcas. When fully planted the land will be home to over 4.0 million Jatropha trees, which will produce a high quality seed oil and biomass, for more than 30 years.We think they could go it one better, however. It turns out that non-toxic subspecies of J. curcas are native to Veracruz and Quintana Roo States, and could be used to produce mast that is suitable for both human and domestic animal feed.
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Via:Centre Daily, "Global Clean Energy Holdings Acquires 5,000 Acres of Land in Mexico to Develop Jatropha Plants" Image credit::John Sokol, Jatropha fruit.
Jatropha is a terrific source for bio-diesel: It can grow in a lot of locations that aren't very suitable for other crops — this is good because the land is cheep and it means jatropha doesn't have to compete with or displace food crops or forests. It yields more oil per acre than a lot of other plants that are used for bio-diesel (e.g. soy). It's not a food crop by itself so using the crop for oil doesn't mean less crop for food.
Having said that, we can still get greedy and clear forests and less profitable crops to grow it. As long as we don't remove food crops or clear forest, it's a great choice in my opinion.
I did a sizeable project on Jatropha curcas and my findings were that this plant was an invasive species, it would very easily overcome other food crops and that this plant has been brought all over the world to such an extent already that there is little understanding of were it truly originated.
If Jatropha is managed on plantaitions then invasivness should be less of a problem. It seems to be used a fencing material on Haiti, so it can't be too bad can it?
I want to try and plant a small portion of jatropha,just for my own domestic oil,see how it behaves as a crop and then I can think of going large scale.I think its a wonder crop,especially for mirginal lands.
I want to learn to make this. I ave always wondered of making something to help my planet. My father has a huge farm in guatemala, and instead of using livestock for an income. I would like it if i planted a biodiesel and stopped tearing down so much of the peten rainforest.So if anyone has any information on how to make this wonderful source of energy, would appreciate it a lot.