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.November 26, 2003
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This Week:

• Porsche(R) 911(R) Carrera 4S Cabriolet Wins Beauty Contest

• X-TRAIL FCV is Latest in Nissan's Alternative Fuel Cell Technology

• Ford Celebrates 300 Millionth Vehicle

• Innovative Interior Bike Rack Debuts On New BMW X3

• Third Environmental Forum, Magdeburg

• Raymond Grigg to Retire as President of GM In Japan

• Volkswagen has made new top management appointments at German and international locations

• ArvinMeritor Terminates Offer for Dana

• BMW Group Strengthens Brand Management Teams

• Ford Invests $325 Million In Michigan And Ohio Plants To Build An All-New 6-Speed Transmission

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Third Environmental Forum, Magdeburg: Start-up of jatropha biodiesel production in India
 

A public-private cooperative project Reduced fossil CO2 in India thanks to biodiesel Jatropha plantations create jobs and reactivate the soil Stuttgart - DaimlerChrysler is launching a new public-private joint enterprise in India for the production of environment-friendly biodiesel that can be used to power Mercedes vehicles. This was announced by DaimlerChrysler on the occasion of the third Environmental Forum in Magdeburg, attended by over 300 participants from 20 countries between November 17 and 19, 2003. The project is setting out to test the production of biodiesel from jatropha plants on eroded ground and its preparation for subsequent use in internal combustion engines. Further positive effects to be expected are the creation of jobs and a reduction in CO2 content.

This program with a five-year timeframe will investigate a wide variety of topics: the conversion of jatropha oil into biodiesel, the assessment of this substance with regard to its chemical suitability as a fuel, the binding of CO2 in plantations, possible use of the resulting byproducts, and the estimated revenue to be generated by production. With the establishment of this plantation, wind erosion will be alleviated and the roots of the plants will help reduce water erosion. The biscuits created as a byproduct of the oil extraction make an excellent organic fertilizer that helps improve the quality of the soil. It is envisaged that the plantations will later be operated by the municipal authorities. The project is expected to serve as a model that can be transferred to further regions of India and beyond the country's borders.

The project partners, who reached this agreement at the third Environmental Forum staged by DaimlerChrysler and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), are the University of Hohenheim, the Institute for Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics (which already has experience in other jatropha projects), and the Indian CSMCRI (Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute). DaimlerChrysler will be financially supporting this project and providing the test vehicles; the DaimlerChrysler engineers are contributing their expertise on fuels and environmental impact.

Jatropha biodiesel is characterized by particularly favorable ignition performance. It also contains no sulfur and is thus a clean, low-emission fuel.

India currently relies on diesel fuel imported from abroad. In Delhi it is forbidden to drive a diesel-powered vehicle, in view of the high level of air pollution. The Indian government is therefore also interested in finding a clean fuel that can be produced domestically, in order to alleviate the environmental problems

Jatropha grows wild in many areas of India and even thrives on infertile soil. A good crop can be obtained with little effort. Depending on soil quality and rainfall, oil can be extracted from the jatropha nuts after two to five years. The annual nut yield ranges from 0.5 to 12 tons. The kernels consist of oil to about 60 percent; this can be transformed into biodiesel fuel through esterification.

Researchers from the University of Hohenheim have found particularly resistant high-yield varieties in Mexico and Mali; these are now to be deployed in India. For this purpose, cuttings of the plants are being cultivated for use at the plantation. New jatropha plants can also be propagated from tissue samples under laboratory conditions. The young plants are more sensitive than the cuttings and must be protected from excessive solar radiation for a certain period.

The two jatropha plantations are located in different climatic regions of India; it can thus be determined which local conditions are more advantageous for cultivation. Orissa, one of the most underdeveloped regions of the country, is the site of a 20-hectare plantation in a sub-humid climate. 44 percent of the local population lives below the poverty line, and almost half the inhabitants are lacking access to electricity and clean drinking water. Gujarat, the location of the second plantation, is one of India's most highly industrialized areas. Here, in a semi-arid climate, a plantation of approximately 10 hectares is to be established. In view of the favorable environmental conditions and the traditionally industrial setting, many domestic and foreign companies are making investments here. The literacy rate in the urban areas is about 70 percent.

(Nov 18, 2003)