Jatropha oil

recently cited as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production. However, despite its abundance and use as an oil and plant, none of the Jatropha species has been properly and, as a result, its productivity is variable, and the long-termimpact of its large-scale use on soil quality and the environment isunknown.However, because jatropha can grow in harsh climates, it can be plantedin areas where it won't compete for resources needed to grow food.

Researchers at Daimler Chrysler Research explored the use ofjatropha oil for automotive use, concluding that although jatropha oilas fuel "has not yet reached optimal quality, ... it already fulfillsthe EU norm for biodiesel quality". , and have a joint project to develop jatropha as a biofuel. Three Mercedes cars powered by Jatropha diesel have already put some 30,000 kilometres behind them. The project is supported by and by the German Association for Investment and Development (Deutschen Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, DEG).

The plant yields more than four times as much fuel per as , and more than ten times that of (corn). A hectare of jatropha produces 1,892 litres of fuel.

When jatropha seeds are crushed, the resulting jatropha oil can beprocessed to produce a high-quality biodiesel that can be used in astandard diesel car, while the residue ()can also be processed and used as biomass feedstock to powerelectricity plants or used as fertilizer (it contains nitrogen,phosphorous and potassium).

Jatropha oil is vegetable oil produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas