Jatropha

Hi guys around the world..
after some time spent in the 3 dimensional world
I come back to the virtual one…with some picures of Roma I took myself.

- Rome. San Lorenzo fuori le Mura.

Today I had the pleasure to take part to a really great lecture given by Prof. Savenije to the students of the Master course in Sustainable energy at TU Delft .The Professor is the Head of Water management and is strongly involved in the SSI research project.

Roma. Aurelian Walls.

One of the topics on which I was mostly driven is the bio-diesel producer plant Jatropha.
In my holy ignorance I had bever heard about it.
The yield of Oil contained in the seeds accounts up to a max of 48,5% and furthermore it runs in any Diesel engine without modifications with a much less polluting impact on the environment. (e.g. absence of Particulate and Heavy metals).

Roma. SS Giovanni e Paolo.

It’s a fast growing plant that survives with minimal water need in marginal lands.
Seeds are ripe after 2/3 years. The plant grows to a height of 1,5/ 2 m and it’s a drought resisting perennial living up to 50 years! Wow!
One hectar of wasteland can produce up to 2500 plants. India covers roughly 1/10 of the total amount of Oil need with Jatropha seeds bio diesel.

Something to remember..

Have a great week end
d