Does Biodiesel from Jatropha Curcas Represent a Sustainable Alternative Energy Source?
1
Centro de Biociencias, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Carretera a Puerto Madero Km 2.0, Tapachula, 30700, Chiapas, Mexico
2
Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
3
Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F., Mexico
4
Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F., Mexico
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2009, 1(4), 1035-1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/su1041035
Received: 13 October 2009 / Accepted: 6 November 2009 / Published: 16 November 2009
Various government agencies around the world have proposed vegetable oils and their conversion to biodiesel as a renewable alternative to fossil fuels. Due to its adaptability to marginal soils and environments, the cultivation of Jatropha curcas is frequently mentioned as the best option for producing biodiesel. In the present work the current situation of proven and potential reserves of fossil fuel, and the production and consumption model for the same are analyzed, in order to later review the sustainability of the production process which begins with the cultivation of J. curcas, and culminates with the consumption of biodiesel. A review of the following topics is proposed in order to improve the sustainability of the process: areas destined for cultivation, use of external (chemical) inputs in cultivation, processes for converting the vegetable oil to biodiesel, and, above all, the location for ultimate consumption of the biofuel.
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Keywords:
biofuel; Jatropha curcas; petroleum
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
MDPI and ACS Style
Ovando-Medina, I.; Espinosa-García, F.; Núñez-Farfán, J.; Salvador-Figueroa, M. Does Biodiesel from Jatropha Curcas Represent a Sustainable Alternative Energy Source? Sustainability 2009, 1, 1035-1041. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1041035
AMA Style
Ovando-Medina I, Espinosa-García F, Núñez-Farfán J, Salvador-Figueroa M. Does Biodiesel from Jatropha Curcas Represent a Sustainable Alternative Energy Source? Sustainability. 2009; 1(4):1035-1041. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1041035
Chicago/Turabian StyleOvando-Medina, Isidro; Espinosa-García, Francisco; Núñez-Farfán, Juan; Salvador-Figueroa, Miguel. 2009. "Does Biodiesel from Jatropha Curcas Represent a Sustainable Alternative Energy Source?" Sustainability 1, no. 4: 1035-1041. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1041035
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