Biodiesel breakthrough comes at

A revolutionary plan to produce green fuel from the jatropha plant has passed a major test by delivering its first shipments.

D1 Oils, the British company behind the scheme, says it is well on the way to reaching its target of producing 1,000 tonnes of crude jatropha oil by December. “We are pleased to have demonstrated through the delivery of our first crude vegetable oil the potential of jatropha as a biofuel crop,” said Lord Oxburgh, the former chairman of Shell who is now chairman of D1.
Jatropha had proved itself to be an alternative fuel source that did not compete with food crops for available land or threaten biodiversity because it could be grown on marginal arable land and can be irrigated by waste water, added Elliott Mannis, chief executive of the firm.

“D1’s position as a leading developer in jatropha plant science differentiates us significantly in a market that increasingly requires biofuels that are not only competitive but also sustainable,” said Mannis, whose firm has brought in BP as a joint venture partner.

The plants are grown on plantations in Zambia and India. The seeds are crushed locally and sold for tractor fuel and other uses at $1,400-$1,500 (