jatropha &laquo; WordPress.com Tag Feed http://en.wordpress.com/tag/jatropha/ Feed of posts on WordPress.com tagged "jatropha" Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:45:19 +0000 http://en.wordpress.com/tags/ en <![CDATA[Biofuel Basics: Alternative and Renewable Fuels]]> http://permaculturepros.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/biofuel-basics-alternative-and-renewable-fuels/ Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:57:25 +0000 crfirst http://permaculturepros.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/biofuel-basics-alternative-and-renewable-fuels/

Biofuel production and consumption has skyrocketed over the last decade.

Biofuels may provide an important supplement to fossil fuels while better sources of transportation and industrial energy are developed.  There are many biofuels or agrifuels in commercial production in the world.  Biodiesel and ethanol are the primary fuels in production around the world.  In the USA they are produced mainly from corn and soybeans which are both heavily subsidized for farmers.  Biofuel Experts – submit your articles and press releases – SIGN UP HERE

Biodiesel is one of the most prevalent biofuels because it can be made from just about any oil, recycled oil or animal fat and run cleanly without modification in any modern diesel engine.  Commercial biodiesel is mostly made from soybean oil subsidized by the US government to produce biodiesel.  Exciting new crops and techniques for making biodiesel are beginning to be discovered.  One of the primary benefits of biodiesel as a “stop-gap” alternative fuel is that the infrastructure to use and service it is already in place with many diesel vehicles and stations throughout the world. 

Jatropha is proving to be far more productive per acre than soybean.  When jatropha seeds are crushed, the resulting jatropha oil can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel that can be used in a standard diesel car, while the residue can also be processed and used as biomass feedstock to power electricity plants or used as fertilizer (it contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium).  Algae represent another form that is showing tremendous potential as a sustainable, low acreage way to produce biodiesel.  

Biodiesel has been also made from recycled vegetable oil collected from restaurants and palm oil grown in the tropics.  Producing biodiesel through soybeans is a very land and fossil fuel intensive way to make a biofuel.  Many original proponents of biodiesel are weighing the negative effects of corporate farming on the environment and with the population explosion to feed. They are realizing that using large pieces of precious farm land to produce fuel crops is not the most sustainable method for the future.

Ethanol is another form of biofuel that had a federal mandate in the United States for 10% of all gas to have ethanol.  Ethanol in the United States is made from corn subsidized hugely by the government because producing corn ethanol is an energy-negative at the refining level, not to mention the fossil fuel fertilizers and pesticides and trucks needed to haul the corn to the press and then to the refinery.  Ethanol in the US is treated as a farm subsidy and will never be a sustainable way to produce a quality fuel. 

Sugar ethanol, on the other hand, is a viable agrifuel.  Even though it does take intensive farming to grow sugar, at least at the time of refinery it produces an energy-positive.  Sugar is easier to process and produces more usable carbon than corn.  Brazil has all but declared themselves energy dependent mainly because of sugar ethanol and the discovery of local oil reserves.  Many countries import ethanol from Brazil as well.  However, many acres of the Amazon have been cut to make way for sugar plantations.  Nobody ever said it was going to be easy to make our over-populated fossil fuel civilization run on alternative fuels. We must find way to run our vehicles on in a sustainable way to accommodate the entire permaculture system, including agriculture.

Hydrogen may be viewed as an alternative fuel as well.  The fuel cell engine was invented over 40 years ago and it is now coming to some practical use.  Free standing fuel cell generators are being used commercially and some are being designed for green homes and cars.  Hydrogen is a very difficult fuel to contain and transport and must be done under high pressure.  This high pressure in vehicle accidents can lead to explosions, there for the technology is not quite ready to roll out commercially.  Some buses and other mass transit vehicles have been operating successfully with fuel cell engines.  Fuel cell may have enormous potential for alternative energy for homes, commercial buildings, boats and submarines, buses and trains, but the logistics of transporting large quantities of hydrogen to fueling stations for fleets of cars may be unrealistic.

There are many experimental fuels in production as well made from everything from methane stocks from animal waste, woodchips and other waste vegetation.  All of these technologies have promise, not to replace oil-based fuels, but to supplement them until something better comes along.  A combination of these renewable fuels, a modern mass-transit system, and better battery technology may provide the solution for a post oil era.

]]> <![CDATA[Top 10 cleantech stories of 2009]]> http://cleaninvest.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/top-10-cleantech-stories-of-2009/ Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:18:39 +0000 matthewlim http://cleaninvest.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/top-10-cleantech-stories-of-2009/

In no particular order, here are my top 10 cleantech stories of 2009. Any other interesting stories that you think should be on this list?

1. Copenhagen Accord: From Hopenhagen to Nopenhagen
The widely anticipated UN climate talks at Copenhagen in Dec 2009 ended with a whimper. After spending much time haggling about the main issues, world leaders could only come up with a kind of letter of intent. In fact, it was US President Barack Obama who brokered the final deal with China, India, South Africa and Brazil. Europe, which was left out, was apparently angered with this move. For now, the goalpost has been shifted to Mexico in 2010.

2. Global Cleantech Stimulus
Though we’re facing the toughest financial crisis yet, several governments around the world managed to announce multi-billion dollar stimulus packages for the cleantech sector, underscoring the importance of the sector to deal with climate change and energy supply issues. US, China, South Korea, Japan, EU, Germany, Australia and UK are among the biggest contributors.

3. A123 Systems IPO Soars
Lithium ion battery company A123 Systems was clearly the star of cleantech IPOs this year, with its shares soaring more than 50% on the first day of trading in Sep 2009. A123 Systems has not made any money, yet its stock price is still trading above its offering price with currently $2 billion market cap, even though Chrysler cancelled its electric vehicle plans which included A123 batteries. Doesn’t this remind you of the tech boom in the late 1990s? More IPOs are expected to come with Solyndra already filed for IPO in Dec 2009 while we’ll just have to keep guessing when Tesla Motors, Silver Spring Networks and Codexis will make their debut.

4. Khosla Ventures Raises $1.1 billion Cleantech Funds
Even as VC/PE cleantech investments slumps in 2009, Khosla Ventures raises the bar with its $1.1 billion funds raised in Sep 2009. It was the largest amount raised by a VC firm since 2007 and the largest first-time fund raised since 1999. This was also the first time Khosla Ventures has raised funds from outside investors which included the CalPERS. It was a rare feat to raise a fund of this size and Vinod Khosla has definitely proved it.

5. Cleantech Investments Shift from Solar to Energy Efficiency
Indeed 2009 proved to be tough on solar companies where declining orders, excess inventory and project financing problems were accompanied with massive layoffs. While Spain’s removal of government subsidies and the financial crisis contributed to the solar slump, China continues to provide state funding to the Chinese cleantech firms via low-interest loans from big state banks to fund their growth. It is no surprise that investment is seen shifting from capital-intensive cleantech such as solar and wind to less capital-intensive cleantech such as energy efficiency, storage, transportation and smart grid sector. Have you heard of the Jevons Paradox – the more efficient we become in our use of energy, the more we will use? Ironically, energy efficiency may lead to more energy consumption as the cost of energy resource reduces.

6. Electric Vehicles: Electric Dreams Come True
It’s no doubt that Obama’s stimulus package has jolted the US electric car industry into life. Anything from electric vehicles, fuel cells, battery technologies, hybrid vehicles to charging stations have turned into golden opportunity for investment. Even the Big Three, GM, Ford and Chrysler were pressured by the US government to make electric cars. The stakes are high here, as we look forward to reduce oil dependence. Yet this has caused another “gold” rush, i.e. rare metals which are important components in making the fuel cells and batteries and China is the main producer of rare metals. Meanwhile, expect the Japanese Toyota and Honda to continue to lead in the hybrid car sector.

7. Biofuel Flights Sizzle
With biofuels craze fizzling out this year, a good news from the industry appeared. Biofuel flights were tested successfully by 3 different airlines this year. In Jan 2009, Continental Airlines tested flight with 50% jet fuel, 47% jatropha, 3% algae in 1 engine (the first to use algae). In the same month, Japan Airlines tested flight with 50% jet fuel, 50% biofuel (of which 84% is camelina, 16% jatropha, less than 1% algae; the first to use camelina). In Nov 2009, KLM demonstrated the first passenger flight with 50% jet fuel, 50% camelina. Previously, Virgin Atlantic was the first to test flight with biofuel mix with 50% jet fuel, 20% mix of coconut and babassu oil in Feb 2008 (some people were mocking Richard Branson at that time!) while Air New Zealand tested flight in Dec 2008 with 50% jet fuel, 50% jatropha (the first to use jatropha). No doubt, we will see more of these biofuel flights realizing in the future.

8. Algae is Oil’s Best Friend
It seems like algae is the new biofuel. Exxon Mobil invested $600 million in Synthetic Genomics, a biotechnology company founded by none other than the genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter, in July 2009 to produce fuel from algae. BP, already an early investor in Synthetic Genomics, invested $10 million in Martek Biosciences in Aug 2009. Though it is applauding to see oil companies to look at alternative energy sources, Exxon Mobil’s latest $31 billion acquisition of XTO Energy, the largest natural gas producer in US, in Dec 2009 is a bet that alternative energy is not viable enough to meet US energy needs for the next few decades while hoping that the cleaner fossil fuel will reduce possible carbon tax in the future.

9. Smart Grid Gets Smarter
The smart grid has been hailed as the electricity Internet and it is such a big play that even the big IT players IBM (via its IBM Venture Capital Group) and Cisco are eyeing for a piece of it. In Obama’s stimulus plan, it calls for the creation of a smart grid and 40 million smart meters to be deployed in American homes. Smart grid may be the largest cloud (computing) and expensive but it will be lucrative for smart grid players. Silver Spring Networks, GridPoint, Trilliant, eMeter, Grid Net and SmartSynch are just some of the players that should benefit from the stimulus.

10. Water Splashes With Osmotic Power and Reverse Osmosis Desalination
In Nov 2009, Norway’s state-owned power company, Statkraft opened a prototype osmotic power plant which is the world’s first that generates energy by mixing fresh water with sea water. The idea of generating power from osmotic pressure gradients is actually an extension of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. RO desal is used for water and wastewater purification, and such large plants are usually found in Middle East nearby power plants where they can easily get their electricity needs from oil. While the Middle Eastern plants consume oil to generate power for its desal process, Norway’s plant generates power from its desal process. I wish I could say much more for the water space but it is noteworthy that Kleiner Perkins has made its first water-related cleantech investment in APT. Hopefully we will see more VC investments in water-related cleantech next year.

]]> <![CDATA[Euphorbiaceae, Jatropha cuneata, matacora, leatherplant, limberbush]]> http://anthrome.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/euphorbiaceae-jatropha-cuneata-matacora-leatherplant-limberbush/ Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:35:22 +0000 anthromes http://anthrome.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/euphorbiaceae-jatropha-cuneata-matacora-leatherplant-limberbush/

The tree is small, stout, multi trunked. I didn’t see any growing much taller then seven feet. Up on ridges they were much more dwarfed, growing larger in arroyos. Unfortunately, somehow I didn’t get a photo of the leaves, but in at least one of these photos you can get a glimpse.

The peeled and pounded stems of J. cuneata were used by the Cora and Seri Indians to make baskets, The bark was used for dyeing and tanning.

]]> <![CDATA[Tanzania puts faith in jatropha plant]]> http://foodheadlines.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/tanzania-puts-faith-in-jatropha-plant/ Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:30:33 +0000 w7075news http://foodheadlines.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/tanzania-puts-faith-in-jatropha-plant/

Jatropha oil can be refined into biofuel, but the government is facing complaints that food production is being threatened…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: food. For a different topic see cake recipe. The blog is also related to: food.

]]> <![CDATA[Jatropha Takes Root in Brazil]]> http://brazilianstudies.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/jatropha-takes-root-in-brazil/ Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:30:22 +0000 brazilianstudies http://brazilianstudies.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/jatropha-takes-root-in-brazil/

By ROBERT P. WALZER – The New York Times

A worker in Mozambique holding jatropha seeds. Efforts to make jatropha-based biofuel have met with mixed success.

A Brazilian start-up is testing the possibility of implementing a large-scale biofuels project using jatropha, a family of hardy, succulent plants.

The company, BioVentures Brasil, is getting $1 million from the InterAmerican Development Bank for a pilot project on about seven hectares (17 acres) in Bahia, in northeastern Brazil, where it hopes to eventually develop a plantation on 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of mostly abandoned cattle-grazing land. The pilot will determine whether the species can adapt to the area’s soil and climate, as well as other factors like how best to work with local communities.

Efforts to make jatropha-based biofuel have met with mixed success elsewhere. A project in Ghana, for example, appears to be moving forward. But in Tanzania, where hopes were also high for a large jatropha-based biofuel project, the government reportedly suspended all biofuel investments recently after concerns arose over food shortages.

Ivan Nuñez, a banker with the I.D.B. who helps vet biofuels investments, said that multilateral lenders like the I.D.B. and the World Bank had turned more cautious on biofuels after their effects on the price and availability of food became apparent. He also noted that commercial long-term financing for such projects had also diminished as oil prices declined from their heights in the summer of 2008.

Still, the I.D.B. sees promise in biofuels, according to Mr. Nuñez, and it is backing seven such projects — two involving waste, three involving sugarcane and two involving jatropha, including the one in Bahia. The bank, however, is treading carefully. It recently created a stricter “Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard’’ to help project developers gauge issues of concern like food security, water management, biodiversity, carbon emissions and indigenous rights.

“We’re very interested in biofuels as long as they don’t compete with food,’’ said Sergio Rivera-Zeballos, the I.D.B. investment officer working on the BioVentures project. “We’re interested in jatropha because it can grow on degraded lands that are not in use for food production and because if it’s successful it could lead the way for a sustainable crop in other locations.’’

BioVentures is backed by EuroVentures, a London- and Sao Paulo-based investment firm active in Brazilian energy projects, and Grupo Vigna Brasil, a Brazilian agribusiness consultancy.

BioVentures hopes to eventually raise about $150 million from investment firms that specialize in agribusiness, and from strategic investors in power production or fuel distribution and refining “who see the benefits of potential carbon credit and sustainability aspects of such a project,’’ Guillaume Sagez and Adrian Calvert, two EuroVentures partners, said in an e-mail. The company aims to sell the fuel to Brazilian and European firms, which would use the jatropha oil to generate electric power.

This month, the company is planting jatropha curcas seeds, a species cited by Goldman Sachs as having among the best potential for biodiesel production. They were supplied by Brazil’s secretary of agriculture, the partners said.

]]> <![CDATA[Jatropha Takes Root in Brazil]]> http://brazilportal.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/jatropha-takes-root-in-brazil/ Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:33:10 +0000 Brazil Institute http://brazilportal.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/jatropha-takes-root-in-brazil/

Courtesy of flickr user Laboratorio en Movimiento

Robert Waltzer-The New York Times, 12/02/09

A Brazilian start-up is testing the possibility of implementing a large-scale biofuels project using jatropha, a family of hardy, succulent plants.

The company, BioVentures Brasil, is getting $1 million from the InterAmerican Development Bank for a pilot project on about seven hectares in Bahia, in northeastern Brazil, where it hopes to eventually develop a plantation on 20,000 hectares of mostly abandoned cattle-grazing land. The pilot will determine whether the species can adapt to the area’s soil and climate, as well as other factors like how best to work with local communities.

Read more…

]]> <![CDATA[19. 01. 2009 Air New Zealand Jet Flies o...]]> http://putinurmoney.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/19-01-2009-air-new-zealand-jet-flies-o/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:10:27 +0000 tradebiz http://putinurmoney.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/19-01-2009-air-new-zealand-jet-flies-o/

19. 01. 2009

Air New Zealand Jet Flies on Jatropha Biofuel

The test flight took off from Auckland airport the 30th of Dec. 2008 with a biofuel blend of 50:50 jatropha and Jet A1 fuel powering one of the Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400’s Rolls-Royce RB211 engines.

Pilot in command, Air New Zealand 747 Fleet Manager Captain Keith Pattie and his crew flew out over the wider Hauraki Gulf area.

There are many challenges that must be overcome before renewable jet fuel becomes mainstream. First and foremost, jet fuel must meet quality standards that are much higher than for ethanol or biodiesel. Jet fuel must have a very low freeze point, typically in the range of -40 to – 65°, otherwise, there is a danger of the fuel gelling at high altitudes. Jet fuel also has a higher flash point than gas or diesel for safer transport and handling. Jet fuel must have a high energy density by weight to minimize the amount of fuel an aircraft must carry.

]]> <![CDATA[On Environmental Brink, Haiti Scrambles for a Lifeline ]]> http://charcoalproject.org/2009/11/25/on-environmental-brink-haiti-scrambles-for-a-lifeline/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:45:42 +0000 charcoalproject http://charcoalproject.org/2009/11/25/on-environmental-brink-haiti-scrambles-for-a-lifeline/ <![CDATA[17th November 2009 - Jatropha Curcas Bio...]]> http://putinurmoney.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/17th-november-2009-jatropha-curcas-bio/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:17:58 +0000 tradebiz http://putinurmoney.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/17th-november-2009-jatropha-curcas-bio/

17th November 2009 – Jatropha Curcas Bio-Diesel Project and Bionas Murabahah Investment Program. Venue: Carlton Star Hotel, Seremban. Time: 8.30pm. All welcome to attend

]]> <![CDATA[BIONAS Investment Program]]> http://tradebiz.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/bionas-investment-program/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:34:36 +0000 tradebiz http://tradebiz.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/bionas-investment-program/

16th November 2009 – Jatropha Curcas Bio-Diesel Project and Bionas Murabahah Investment Program. Venue: De Palma Inn, Shah Alam. Time: 8.30pm. All welcome to attend

do join us….ypu will discover new things that you never come across before

]]> <![CDATA[16th November 2009 - Jatropha Curcas Bio...]]> http://putinurmoney.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/16th-november-2009-jatropha-curcas-bio/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:32:10 +0000 tradebiz http://putinurmoney.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/16th-november-2009-jatropha-curcas-bio/

16th November 2009 – Jatropha Curcas Bio-Diesel Project and Bionas Murabahah Investment Program. Venue: De Palma Inn, Shah Alam. Time: 8.30pm. All welcome to attend….

datanglah beramai-ramai ..it is a free seminar..and you will discover new thingss…..

]]> <![CDATA[Jatropha in Ghana]]> http://ghanaadam.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/jatropha-in-ghana/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:19:59 +0000 ghanaadam http://ghanaadam.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/jatropha-in-ghana/

A bit about me. I am farming Jatropha in Ghana. I have 70 acres planted, started in March 09, of local Jatropha Curcas. I have plans to expand to several hundred acres. The purpose of the Jatropha will be for oil to sell to a foreign-owned bio-diesel manufacturer in Ghana and eventually produce bio-diesel myself. I am also growing large amounts of local maize, cassava and peanuts. I am looking for other growers, people interested in growing, or just curious people to talk about Jatropha with. From my research, my experience with growing Jatropha so far seems to be much different then anyone else’s experience in Ghana, India or Asia (where jatropha is mainly cultivated).

]]> <![CDATA[L'horreur du "Jatropha".]]> http://rannemarie.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/lhorreur-du-jatropha/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:15:58 +0000 raannemari http://rannemarie.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/lhorreur-du-jatropha/

Par Fabrice Nicolino

Que vous dire d’un tel pays ? Hispanolia – nom hideux donné par le colonisateur – est une île caraïbe séparée en deux. À l’Est, la République dominicaine, où les petits-bourgeois de chez nous viennent se bronzer le cul pour trois euros. C’est la partie « blanche » et métisse de l’île, où sévit un racisme inconcevable contre les Haïtiens qui passent l’improbable frontière coupant Hispanolia en deux. Car Haïti est l’autre bord, côté Ouest, de loin le plus pauvre, où des Noirs désespérés tentent de survivre sur une terre dévastée. Une absence de terre et d’arbres, dévastée par une crise écologique dont nul ne voit l’issue.

Attention les yeux ! Ce qui suit est banal : trois Haïtiens ont été retrouvés brûlés et décapités au fond d’un four à charbon de bois, côté dominicain. Pas en 1824, non. Il y a moins d’une semaine. Il est bien rare qu’on retrouve jamais le nom des victimes de ces massacres. Mais comme il y a un rescapé, très gravement blessé, je peux au moins vous donner son identité : Mesilis Desil. Pourquoi avoir tué les autres ? On suppose qu’ils venaient de couper un peu de bois pour en faire un charbon. Voilà bien des informations du monde réel que l’on chercherait en vain dans la presse de nos vertueux pays du Nord, n’est-ce pas ?

La suite de l’article : http://www.altermonde-sans-frontiere.com/spip.php?article11986

 

]]> <![CDATA[Energi Hijau : Tanaman Jarak Pagar (Jatropha)]]> http://jakarta45.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/energi-hijau-tanaman-jarak/ Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:43:37 +0000 jakarta45 http://jakarta45.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/energi-hijau-tanaman-jarak/

Tanaman Jarak Pagar

Selasa, 27 Oktober 2009 06:19 WIB | Ekonomi & Bisnis | Bisnis |
Tanaman Jarak Temanggung Belum Hasilkan Biofuel
Tanaman Jarak Temanggung Belum Hasilkan Biofuel
(ANTARA/Fanny Octavianus/&)

Temanggung (ANTARA News) – Hasil panen tanaman jarak di Kabupaten Temanggung belum diproses menjadi bahan bakar minyak nabati atau “biofuel” karena produksi biji jarak hingga sekarang masih digunakan sebagai benih pengembangan lebih lanjut.

Pegiat sosial yang juga perintis tanaman jarak di Temanggung, Edi Sriatmo di Temanggung, Selasa, mengatakan tanaman jarak telah dikembangkan di 15 kecamatan di Temanggung sejak tahun lalu.

“Tanaman jarak tersebut kini sudah menghasilkan buah tetapi masih minim dan digunakan untuk pengembangan benih,” katanya.

Ia menyebutkan, Temanggung menghasilkan biji jarak sekitar enam kuintal, masih kecil dibanding daerah lain seperti Boyolali telah mencapai tiga ton setiap panen.

Menurut dia, produksi jarak relatif kecil karena daerah Temanggung terlalu rimbun dengan tanaman tahunan. Setiap lahan petani bisa ditumbuhi 12 hingga 20 jenis tanaman.

Selain itu, katanya, ketika buah jarak sudah waktunya untuk dipanen tetapi petani enggan untuk memanen karena hasilnya masih sedikit.

Ia mengatakan, dilihat dari ketinggian tempat penanaman yang mencapai sekitar 800 meter di atas permukaan air laut sebenarnya tidak masalah, tanaman jarak juga tumbuh dengan subur di daerah itu. Bahkan, kandungan minyak jarak yang dihasilkan cukup baik sekitar 33 persen.

Harga biji jarak kering untuk benih, katanya, Rp1.200 per kg, sedangkan untuk diproses menjadi minyak Rp700 per kg.

“Sebenarnya merupakan kesempatan petani untuk menambah penghasilan karena biji jarak sekarang dibeli untuk benih yang harganya lebih mahal, namun kesadaran masyarakat untuk menanam jarak kurang,” katanya.

Ia mengatakan, tanaman jarak terus dikembangkan di Temanggung, meskipun hanya ditanam di pagar sebagai pengganti tanaman yang tidak produktif seperti tehtehan. (*)

COPYRIGHT © 2009

Petani Gunung Kidul

By Republika Newsroom
Selasa, 27 Oktober 2009 pukul 19:00:00
Petani Gunung Kidul Kembangkan Jarak Pagar
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Petani Gunungkidul Kembangkan Jarak Pagar

GUNUNGKIDUL–Para petani di Kabupaten Gunungkidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY), mengembangkan tanaman jarak pagar dengan memanfaatkan lahan yang tidak digunakan untuk pertanian.

“Jarak pagar bisa dibudidayakan dengan mudah di Gunungkidul karena karakteristik lahan dan iklim di sini mendukung pertumbuhan tanaman tersebut,” kata Kepala Dinas Pertanian Tanaman Pangan dan Hortikultura Gunungkidul Dwinggo Nirwanto di Gunungkidul, Selasa.

Ia mengatakan sebanyak 34 kelompok tani pembudidaya saat ini mendapat pembekalan pengolahan buah jarak menjadi minyak jarak. “Sebagian kelompok tani tersebut berada di Kecamatan Tepus, Gunungkidul. Sekitar 2000 petani dari 19 dusun mendapat materi pembudidayaan tanaman jarak dan pengolahan buah jarak,” katanya.

Menurut dia petani dibekali tata cara pengolahan buah jarak menjadi minyak jarak kasar dengan bantuan alat dari Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) Veteran Yogyakarta. Ia menjelaskan alat tersebut berasal dari dana hibah melalui program percepatan teknologi Menteri Riset dan Teknologi.

“Pembinaan yang dilakukan kepada petani pembudidaya jarak antara lain tata cara penanaman secara benar, pengolahan, dan pemasaran minyak jarak untuk bahan bakar alternatif pengganti solar,” katanya.

Kepala Desa Purwodadi Suprihatin mengatakan pelatihan tersebut membantu petani untuk memahami cara pengelolaan buah jarak menjadi minyak jarak secara benar.

Menurut dia melalui pemberian keterampilan pengolahan buah jarak, petani mulai memahami tata cara pengolahan buah jarak mejadi minyak secara benar sehingga mampu menambah nilai ekonomis buah jarak,” katanya.

“Pengembangan tanaman jarak pagar tersebut mampu menjadi tambahan penghasilan bagi petani, harga buah jarak saat ini Rp1.250/kg. Para petani mendapat penghasilan tambahan dari penjualan jarak, terlebih pada saat hasil utama pertanian, yakni gaplek mengalami penurunan harga,” katanya.

Menurut dia program pengembangan budi daya jarak pagar tersebut merupakan salah satu usaha pemberdayaan masyarakat kecil. Ia menyatakan jumlah kelompok tani pembudidaya tanaman jarak semakin meningkat, pada tahun ini jumlah kelompok tani bertambah 20 kelompok dibanding tahun sebelumnya. Luas lahan di Kecamatan Tepus yang ditanami pohon jarak pagar mencapai 90 hektare.ant/pur

]]> <![CDATA[Launching Ceremony...]]> http://tradebiz.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/launching-ceremony/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:55:24 +0000 tradebiz http://tradebiz.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/launching-ceremony/

salam and happy morning all,

it’ been a while…a bit bz lately.  ok..hamper and gifts still on the go, and new basket hampers coming in mid november.  meanwhile, 2 events will take place soon on the same date but different places and we’re in the midst of preparing for the event.  the event will take place as follows:

NAME OF EVENT:  LAUNCHING OF JARAK (JATROPHA CURCAS) NURSERY

PLACE:  KUALA DUNGUN AND KG TEMIR, KUALA BERANG, HULU TERENGGANU

TIME:  9.00 AM AT KUALA DUNGUN AND 230 PM AT KG TEMIR

DATE:  31 ST OCTOBER 2009.

therefore, feel free to come everyone..u can hear all the chances and opportunity investing in this type of plant..

i have take all the opportunity so why not u…don’t wait…k

contact me at 0139385705 or my boss 0199151905..if u need further information…we’re more than happy to entertain ur call…

salam

]]> <![CDATA[Boeing e China negociam desenvolvimento de biocombustíveis para aviões]]> http://mundopossivel.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/boeing-e-china-negociam-o-desenvolvimento-de-biocombustiveis-para-a-avioes/ Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:19:14 +0000 antoniomartinsneto http://mundopossivel.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/boeing-e-china-negociam-o-desenvolvimento-de-biocombustiveis-para-a-avioes/
A Boeing tem colaborado com empresas de engenharia e companhias aéreas para explorar o uso de biocombustível na aviação

A Boeing tem colaborado com empresas de engenharia e companhias aéreas para explorar o uso de biocombustível na aviação

A gigante norte-americana Boeing está prestes a firmar um convênio com a Academia Chinesa de Ciência – e uma série de outras universidades da China – para desenvolver tecnologia verde destinada à indústria de aviação.

Segundo o vice-presidente e gerente geral de Pesquisa e Tecnologia da Boeing, Matthew Ganz, a colaboração se concentrará na pesquisa e no desenvolvimento de biocombustíveis, como forma de diminuir as “pegadas” de carbono do setor, responsável por 2% da emissão global de CO2 na atmosfera.

Também foram definidas outras áreas de cooperação, como proteção ambiental, gerenciamento de tráfego aéreo e segurança de vôo.

Segundo o portal Ecoseed, as negociações entre a empresa norte-americana e as universidades chinesas já estariam bem adiantadas.

A Boeing tem colaborado com empresas de engenharia e companhias aéreas para explorar o uso de biocombustível na aviação.

Já a China, antiga fornecedora de componentes para os aviões da Boeing, tem sido vista pela empresa como uma potencial liderança no desenvolvimento de biocombustível.

O país tem investido na plantação de biocombustíveis como forma de reduzir a dependência do petróleo.

Empresa estuda usar os biocombustíveis de segunda geração, como a jatropha curcas, conhecida como pinhão-manso

Empresa estuda usar os biocombustíveis de segunda geração, como a jatropha curcas, conhecida como pinhão-manso

Com programas nas províncias de Yunnan, Sichuan e Guizhou, a China deve chegar em 2020 com 13 milhões de hectares em plantação especificamente para a geração de combustíveis.

Já a Boeing estuda usar biocombustíveis de segunda-geração, como a jatropha, e investiga formas de aumentar a eficiência econômica desse novo recurso na sofisticada indústria de aviação.

Clique aqui para ler a matéria no portal Ecoseed.

]]> <![CDATA[SG Biofuels: Amasses World’s Largest Jatropha Library, Aims For $1/Gallon Oil ]]> http://earth2tech.com/2009/09/25/sg-biofuels-amasses-world%e2%80%99s-largest-jatropha-library-aims-for-1gallon-oil/ Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:37 +0000 Justin Moresco http://earth2tech.com/2009/09/25/sg-biofuels-amasses-world%e2%80%99s-largest-jatropha-library-aims-for-1gallon-oil/

SGB_logoIn the rush to grow energy crops for producing alternative fuels, jatropha has often been heralded as the most promising because it can be grown on marginal land. But so far jatropha hasn’t lived up to the hype — requiring too much water and producing too little yield — prompting some early investors, like oil giant BP, to give up on the crop. But a young Encinitas, Calif.-based startup, SG Biofuels, says the problem with these early efforts was that they put the cart before the horse.

The firm has spent the last three and a half years amassing what it says is the largest and most diverse library of jatropha genetic material in the world. The team scoured India, Southeast Asia, and most importantly Central America, the native home of the shrub, to build the firm’s library. “This is the foundation for any effective crop improvement program, and we were shocked that no one had done that,” SG Biofuels CEO Kirk Haney told us. “That is step one, but many jumped to step five by putting [jatropha] in the ground and crossing their fingers.” 

SG Biofuels scientists are applying breeding techniques and genetic engineering to this pool of jatropha material to produce superior strains that could be harvested for oil. That oil could then be processed into a variety of bio-based products, including biodiesel and feedstock substitutes for the petrochemical and jet fuel industries. 

Besides the library, Haney said the firm’s other advantage over competing biofuel companies is that it’s focused on doing a few things well and not spreading itself out too far along the value chain. Despite its name, SG Biofuels has no intention in the near term to extract oil or process it into products itself; that would be done by growers and energy outfits. Instead, the startup aims to develop superior strains and then provide services to plantations for growing their seeds.

SG Biofuels has already had some success. It’s identified strains that can grow in higher elevations and colder climates than initially thought possible. The company says its jatropha crop could already produce oil at $1.50 per gallon (before refining), if at commercial scale, and Haney predicts that the cost will drop to less than $1 per gallon within the next two years with the release its first commercial product.  At that price, SG Biofuels’ jatropha would yield oil that is cost-competitive with petroleum while still offering growers a healthy margin, Haney says.

But biodiesel, while only part of the startup’s target market, has been more bust than boom as of late, regardless of the feedstock. And SG Biofuels isn’t alone in its attempts to genetically improve jatropha. La Jolla, Calif.-based Synthetic Genomics is partnering with Malaysia’s Asiatic Centre for Genome Technology to modify existing varieties of the shrub and increase yield, oil quality and disease tolerance. The partnership announced in May said that it was the first to complete the sequence of the jatropha genome. And BP’s former partner, London-based D1 Oils, is still in the business of improving and growing jatropha. 

SG Biofuels has so far been financed by founders and friends, raising funds “in the millions” of dollars but less than $10 million, Haney says. The company hopes to raise its first institutional round in the first quarter of next year.

]]> <![CDATA[Biocombustível gera polêmina na Suíça]]> http://sustentanews.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/biocombustivel-gera-polemina-na-suica/ Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:40:29 +0000 Renato Guimaraes http://sustentanews.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/biocombustivel-gera-polemina-na-suica/

A jatropha mocambicana

A jatropha moçambicana

Jatropha. Este é o nome de uma pequena castanha típica de Moçambique que está causando um debate nacional na Suíça. Ela é uma das apostas da empresa suíça Green Bio Fuel, que tem um projeto de construir uma usina para produzir 100 mil toneladas de biocombustível por ano a partir da pequena castanha.

O projeto recebe incentivos governamentais previstos na legislação que distribui reduções fiscais para biocombustíveis produzidos a partir de recursos renováveis. Mas está sendo bombardeados por ONGs e parlamentares que questionam o impacto do estímulo do plantio da Jatropha sobre a produção de alimentos.

Segundo um estudo publicado pela ONG Swaissaid a planta de Jatropha, também conhecida como nós purgativa, é sujeita a doenças fitossanitárias e, portanto, requereria grandes quantidades de água, adubo e pesticidas. Outros problemas incluiriam até questões sociais e políticas, como os casos de corrupção que estariam surgindo envolvendo autoridades locais e investidores potenciais.

O relatório da Swissaid chega ao mesmo tempo em que o parlamento suíço começa a discutir uma moção do deputado de esquerda Rudolf Rechtsteiner que pede uma moratória de cinco anos para a produção de biocombustíveis na Suíça.

Os contra-atraques não demoraram. Um porta-voz da empresa Green Bio Fuel foi taxativo ao qualificar o relatório e a moção como ações que na prática representam uma “política de obstrução que prejudica a Suíça.”

Jean Zigler, ex-relator especial da ONU pelo direito à alimentação, é taxativo quanto à questão: “Aquele que enche o tanque com biocombustível, cria fome nas populações do Sul.”

Fonte: Swiss Info

]]> <![CDATA[Nigeria : Desert Farming Project for the Realization of the National Green Wall Sahara Shelter Belt Project (Leadership Nigeria)]]> http://desertification.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/nigeria-desert-farming-project-for-the-realization-the-national-green-wall-sahara-shelter-belt-project-leadership-nigeria/ Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:22:04 +0000 willem van cotthem http://desertification.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/nigeria-desert-farming-project-for-the-realization-the-national-green-wall-sahara-shelter-belt-project-leadership-nigeria/ <![CDATA[New life]]> http://cedarvisions.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/new-life/ Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:09:43 +0000 realistic bird http://cedarvisions.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/new-life/

]]> <![CDATA[Muscle Pain - An Alternative Remedy]]> http://greencursor.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/muscle-pain-an-alternative-remedy/ Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:49:10 +0000 greencursor http://greencursor.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/muscle-pain-an-alternative-remedy/

Running, especially long-distance running, brings with it not a few muscle aches and pain, not to mention the injuries.  Your orthodox doctor will likely prescribe you with a pain pill to treat the symptoms, as this is the way they were trained to do so.  But, is there a natural, if not better, way of addressing these problems? 

If you have old folks from the provinces, chances are that they know about the tuba-tuba plant.  Tuba-tuba (Jatropha curcas), also known locally as tubang bakod, sambo, tawa-tawa, tagumbao, kalunay, kasla and tangan-tangan, has been used by old folks to treat muscle pain, sprains, rheumatism and arthritis.  It is a perennial shrub, which can grow up to 3 to 8 meters in height.  The leaf size ranges from 6 to 15 cm in length and width.  The shrub bears a non-edible nut, composed of about 30% oil, which can be used to produce bio-fuel.  It is drought-resistant and grows on any type of soil.  It can be propagated either by seeds or stem cuttings.

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Following is the procedure for using tuba-tuba as a treatment for muscle ailments.  It is recommended that this be done at night so that the healing process takes place while you are asleep.

1.   Select a healthy, mature leaf, and remove the stem.  Wash with tap water, and wipe dry.  The number of leaves to be used will depend on the size of the leaf and the area of the skin to be covered.  Place the leaf on a thin towel.  Use a larger towel if two or more leaves are used.

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2.  Cover the leaf with another towel.

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3.  Heat the leaf using a flat iron.  Take care not to burn the leaf.

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4.  Rub virgin coconut oil over the surface of the leaf, while it is still hot.

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5.  Place the leaf over the sore area, and cover it with a bandage cloth.  Leave overnight.

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6.  Remove the leaf immediately in the morning, and discard it.  You will notice that the leaf will have turned dry and crispy by then.  Wash the skin area with soap and lukewarm water. 

7.  If necessary, repeat the procedure.

Nature is God’s gift to us, and it is our best defense against diseases.  It is now time that we harness its medicines rather than to rely and to be highly dependent on synthetic drugs.  Our Creator has given us everything that we need to survive – natural food, clean water and fresh air.  He gave us plants not only to serve as food but as cure for our illnesses.  It is imperative for us to view these things not as mere incidentals but as a grand design that shows the completeness of His work.

]]> <![CDATA[event update...]]> http://tradebiz.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/event-update/ Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:26:09 +0000 tradebiz http://tradebiz.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/event-update/

salam..

a bit late but i guess..everything is never too late if we have the confidence and faith in what we are doing.  last thursday(30/7) as planned, meeting went good with a very ideal decision, and both my husband and i have to come up with a solution for the 3rd party .. so it will be a win – win situation.  ;)

then at 3 pm, at the dewan bijangga, in kuala dungun, the crowd was less than we invited but cool crowd….on that day, we have 5 people registered to plant this jatropha curcas…they want to start planting it ASAP……gosh….a bit knock out there since our nursery in Kuala Berang, just about to start…but i guess it is ok because they also need time to clear up the land…hmmm

and finishing off that evening, we have a company that wants to invest in the ISLAMIC MURABAHAH INVESTMENT SCHEME that i mentioned in the last post…

that company invested RM60,000.00 and we handed the cheque to the CEO, Puan Zurina…as a symbolic for that evening event…cool huh!

so…it was a good event…hopefully more to come..so u guys out there…if u wish to know more about jatropha curcas…visit this web site…www.bionasmalaysia.com

if u have unused extra money, rather than letting the money sitting in the bank … not growing it..come invest with me…not only it is HALAL…the return u will get over 3 years is 75%…high enough compare to others and ur money…will be valued by the poor and the poverty stricken people…don’t u feel good about that….think about it k…

salam

]]> <![CDATA[Budi Daya Jatropha NTT Gagal Total]]> http://erensdh.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/budi-daya-jatropha-gagal-total/ Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:14:00 +0000 erensdh http://erensdh.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/budi-daya-jatropha-gagal-total/ <![CDATA[why put a signpost on a project ?]]> http://fvleuten.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/why-put-a-signpost-on-a-project/ Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:24:44 +0000 fvleuten http://fvleuten.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/why-put-a-signpost-on-a-project/