“The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today, but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of present time.”
- Rudolf Diesel, 1912

What is Jatropha?

Jatropha is a small tree that can grow up to 5m (thereby eligible for carbon sequestration under the Clean Development Mechanism). One hectare of Jatropha can yield upwards of 5 tons of seed at maturity (between 4-5 years), with oil content up to 35%. This means on average 1.75 tons of oil p/ha of plantation. In controlled cases, seed yield has been as high as 12-15 tons p/ha. Jatropha is drought resistant and adapts well to marginal land: land which is generally not suitable for food crops. It grows rapidly, making it an ideal crop for communities. The fruit, being inedible, does not compete on global food markets. Furthermore, Jatropha has a higher cetane value than competing feedstocks, meaning the quality of oil is the most suitable for refining to biodiesel or as a direct replacement for diesel fuel for power generation.

EPB Biofuel Nursery

Emerald Planet Biofuels has an established Biofuel Nursery in Kalimantan with current annual capacity of 6,000,000 seedlings per year, focusing on high yield seedling varieties. Combined with EPB's capacities in forestry this forms the foundation of EPB's ability to propagate and plant large areas of deforested and degraded land, either as part of community plantations, land reclamation projects or company owned and operated Energy Plantations. EPB is also in discussions with local governments and stakeholders to provide seedlings for land reclamation areas effected by illegal mining.

Large Scale Energy Plantations

"Sugarcane (ethanol) and Jatropha (biodiesel) are the most efficient biofuel feedstocks." - Goldman Sachs: March 2007 Commodities Report

Emerald Planet Biofuels is in the process of contracting land from the Indonesian Government for the purpose of establishing company owned plantations. Company plantations are established on this land, providing a secure supply of feedstock (Jatropha seeds), which are then pressed for oil. Plantations are only established on deforested land with no biodiversity value, classified by the Indonesian government as 'lahan kritis' (critical/ marginal land). Emerald Planet is active in protecting Indonesia’s forests, with long term conservation a key principle of the company's philosophy. Jatropha plantations do not displace food crops. All by-products are utilised from the plantations.

EPB also works with surrounding communities, providing seedlings and training for communities to plant Jatropha on their own land. EPB guarantees to purchase the seeds from communities at a fair market value, while providing wide-spread employment and integration of long term community development and environmental education. EPB has a firm commitment to community building in and around the project areas. The company will seek to develop programs and projects to empower individuals and groups to effect change within their communities, in particular in areas relating to health, education and the environment.