Jatropha Plantations
Over the past two years Oxigen has been carrying out detailed research into the commercial viability of growing jatropha for bio-fuels production. Oil is produced from the seeds of the jatropha curcas, a plant that can grow in marginal lands offering poorer regions a viable alternative to sustain the incomes of rural landowners.
Jatropha is fast-growing and begins yielding oil in the second year. Optimal yields are obtained from the sixth year, and around 2,500 plants can be cultivated per hectare. Jatropha absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and therefore has the potential to earn carbon credits. However, currently jatropha Plantations don't qualify for carbon credits under either the UN or Kyoto agreements. Oxigen is already offering carbon credits on other species on its Oxigen Investments through The Carbon Advisory.
Yields and consistency vary wildly from country to country and, whilst its viability when grown intensively on large scale Plantations with the benefit of irrigation and skilled local labour is not in question, we want to be sure of its long term suitability before launching Plantations.
Oxigen is also developing its own refining and processing facilities alongside Visit Our Plantations to ensure we are in a position to process the seeds when harvested into Oxigen Green Diesel. The seeds deteriorate quickly and best results are achieved when processed alongside the Plantations. This will also ensure that we are maximising our returns by producing the finished product as opposed to supplying the middle man. We also intend to fuel all our own tractors and other diesel powered machinery in Sri Lanka and Malaysia from our own Oxigen Diesel, cutting our carbon emissions even further.
We are currently testing jatropha's growth and yield rates in two locations and our own results will be audited by the Malaysian and Sri Lanka agriculture departments. The skilled labour availiable in these two countries from the tea industry is second to none.