Biofuel and Biodiesel

Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) has planted Jatropha on pilot basis. Some private organizations have also started Jatropha plantation with their own initiatives. Despite shortage of agricultural land BAU has suggested to plant Jatropha and other species of biofuel such as ‘Velna’ on the side of major rail and road network.

Composition of Jatropha seed is illustrated below.

Possible Jatropha cultivation area is shown in the Bangladesh map:

Source: Benchmark soil of Bangladesh: Morphology, characteristics and lassification for research management GIS Laboratory publication No.4. First published in June,2005
 

Another type of biofuel called castor bean plant or verenda is being cultivated in a very limited scope by the private sectors.

Castor seed plant / verenda

Bio-diesel:

Biodiesel often known as Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) is the biodegradable diesel obtained from the transesterafication of vegetable oil or animal fat. Transesterification is the process in which vegetable oil or animal fat reacts with methanol or ethanol in the presence of a catalyst (Normally NaOH) to produce methyl or ethyl esters and glycerine. Biodiesel can be used in neat form or blended with petroleum diesel to use in unmodified diesel engine. Rudolf Diesel developed the first engine to run on peanut oil. He demonstrated the engine at the World exhibition in Paris in 1900. Unfortunately R. Diesel died in 1913 and after his death vegetable oil was forgotten as a renewable source of power for long time.