Status of Bioenergy Research and Jatropha in India: A Review

Abstract

Rising world fuel prices, growing demand for energy, concerns about environmental effects of fossil fuel use and global warming are the key issues facing mankind today. The increasing interest in renewable energy sources or bioenergy around the world has focused on biofuels which are of biological and renewable origin, like bioethanol, biodiesel, and biomass for energy. Bioenergy appears to offer hope for addressing the above concerns while also provides new opportunities for farmers in developing and developed countries alike. Developing countries, especially the tropical and sub-tropicals, have a cutting edge for bioenergy production because of the greater availability of land, favorable climatic conditions for agriculture and lower labour costs. It is presently the largest global contributor of renewable energy, and has significant potential to expand in the production of heat, electricity, and fuels for transport. The possibility of growing energy crops such as Jatropha curcas L. has the potential to enable some small holder farmers, producers and processors to cope with these pressures since it has multiple advantages including high yield on wasteland, low cost of production and high potential for employment generation. This review provides an understanding on the different types of bioenergy resources and highlights the potential impact of bioenergy and the advantages associated with it for the development of a sustainable bioenergy industry. It also summarizes the most recent data pertaining to the status of Jatropha research, developmental aspects and prospects of commercialization of biodiesel production in India and around the world; stressing on the cultivation, development of plantations, processing, uses and improvement of Jatropha yield and future prospects for the production of biodiesel.