Exploiting diesel from wild plants

Environmentally friendly biodiesel due to its low sulfur content can be extracted from Jatropha tree seeds (Porridge), a plant that grows wild in our northern provinces.

"For every 1 hectare of Jatropha trees, the yield of 8-12 tons of seeds per year can produce about 3 tons of bio-oil. This oil can replace the traditional diesel oil from the exhausted mines." Dr. Ngo Thi Lam Giang, Vietnam Oil and Oil Tree Research Institute, said.

Jatropha trees are still commonly found in wasteland.Photo: Nzen.be.

According to Ms. Giang, before the world research on the ability of Jatropha oil, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development signed a decision approving the project of Research, Development and Use of Styrofoam products. The section from now until 2025. The cultivated area is expected to reach 500,000 hectares.

Engineer Pham Van Tuan, who has many years of studying Jatropha trees, said that one of the advantages of this plant is that it is easy to grow, just look for seeds or plug a branch into a poor soil that this herb can also live. and develop.

However, according to Mr. Tuan, in order to have high productivity, cultivators should pay attention to the selection process, because this is a long-term plant, so if it is wrong to choose varieties, it will take many years when new fruit trees can be discovered. out. Vietnam has a huge resource but has not yet exploited it.

Jatropha seeds have a high oil content.Photo: diligent-tazania.

According to Purdue University's documents, USA, Jatropha curcas is a member of the castor family, can reach a height of 6 meters, thick leaves, large leaves (length up to 40 cm, width up to 35cm), flowers many colors from green, yellow to red rose and many seeds.

For many years, some Asian countries such as India, the Philippines and Malaysia have also shifted to growing this herb in arid regions due to its fast-growing characteristics without losing much care, possibly providing Supplying raw materials for the processing industry to create biofuels.