자트로파 cake의 독성을 빼면 18%사료원료됨. Myanmar to produce bio-diesel from jatropha curcas

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Myanmar to produce bio-diesel from jatropha curcas
Prof. Mr Klaus Becker of Germany and party invited by Shwe Thanlwin Co and Mr Bernd Bieger of MAN Ferrostaal Industrieanlagen GmbH (Yangon Branch) conducted a presentation under the arrangements of the Myanmar Industrial Development Committee at the Traders Hotel in Yangon on 18 November.
Today, the world is facing insufficient supply of fuel, and many countries are seeking new means to cope with the global issue.
The Head of State with vision has given guidance on extensive growing of the crops such as jatropha curcas (physic nut), sugarcane, corn and tapioca from which bio-diesel can be extracted at national level. Among
them, jatropha curcas grows well on almost any soil and any climate. Now, jatropha curcas plants grown in the states and divisions in Myanmar have started to bear fruit.
The Nagarmin biodiesel plant at the industrial ward in Muse, Shan State (North) can mill 19 baskets of jatropha curcas seeds producing at the rate of 25 gallons an hour.
At the ceremony, General Manager U Moe Kyaw of Shwe Than Lwin Co said that jatropha curcas could be grown easily, but it was required to ensure a high percentage of oil content in seeds, technological development and boosting production. Oil directly extracted from jatropha curcas seeds does not last long, he said, stressing the importance of producing quality bio-diesel that could be substituted in the place of oil.
To produce quality bio-diesel called for a bio-diesel plant worth about 40 million kyats, he said, adding that the plant could be operated with the labour of two persons producing at the rate of 600 litres of biodiesel per 10 hours.
Titrant solution, methanol, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and distilled water were to be blended with jatropha curcas oil to remove the soap and glycerin liquids to get quality bio-diesel, he said. Bio-diesel could be extracted from many species of vegetables, but jatropha curcas had more percentage of oil content with less cost than any other crops. African countries and India produced bio-diesel for four years. Myanmar could achieve greater success in a short time in producing bio-diesel if the findings from the research done in the two countries were combined with its experiences. Then, Chairman U Kyaw Win of Shwe Than Lwin Co was seeking advice from German experts and holding discussions with experts from other nations. The company would soon be able to produce bio-diesel effectively from the jatropha curcas seeds produced domestically, he said.
Professor Mr Klaus Becker said that jatropha curcas existed for many years. He said, its benefits had been many and varied, according to researches done or ongoing. It did not need fertile land nor good climate. Even with a little water and small amouts of fertilizer, it grew well at any soil including desert during the period ranging from six months to two years. It was resistant to harsh natural effects such as severe climate, so it could thrive in a few years.
He learnt that Myanmar had grown jatropha curcas on hundreds of thousands of acres. The plants hardly died after being grown. The seeds’ oil contents were not the same, so it was needed to grow plants of quality species systematically, he said.
According to the findings from the research on jatropha curcas he did around the world, systematic growing and choosing quality species were important to get seeds with high oil content.
By-products from press cakes of jatropha curcas could be used for production of soap, cosmetic items, fertilizers and medicines, he said.
Germany was the pioneering country in doing research on using jatropha curcas oil as bio-diesel. The protein content of jatropha curcas was higher and the cost, less than soya bean. If it was detoxified, press cake could be used as feedstuff.
Doing research on some of by-products of jatropha curcas was nearing completion, and good results would come out soon, he said.
Now, Myanmar is gaining momentum in growing jatropha curcas. The chairman of Shan State (North) Peace and Development Council, social organizations and national entrepreneurs have successfully demonstrated the growing of jatropha curcas and the extracting of biodiesel from its seeds. In addition, 16-gallon ca-pacity jatropha curcas milling machines are available now at the price of 1 million kyats per unit. With the use of bio-diesel extracted from jatropha curcas seeds, measures are being taken to supply more electric power to rural areas.
As a national duty, Myanmar is growing jatropha curcas extensively to produce oilsubstitute fuel from it.