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Earlier this century, jatropha was hailed as a “wonder” biofuel. A simple shrubby tree belonging to Central America, it was extremely promoted as a high-yielding, drought-tolerant biofuel feedstock that might grow on abject lands throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia.
A jatropha rush ensued, with more than 900,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) planted by 2008. But the bubble burst. Low yields resulted in plantation failures nearly all over. The consequences of the jatropha crash was tainted by accusations of land grabbing, mismanagement, and overblown carbon reduction claims.
Today, some scientists continue pursuing the evasive guarantee of high-yielding jatropha. A comeback, they say, is reliant on cracking the yield issue and addressing the damaging land-use problems linked with its original failure.
The sole staying large jatropha plantation remains in Ghana. The plantation owner claims high-yield domesticated varieties have been achieved and a brand-new boom is at hand. But even if this return fails, the world’s experience of jatropha holds important lessons for any appealing up-and-coming biofuel.
At the start of the 21st century, Jatropha curcas, a simple shrub-like tree belonging to Central America, was planted across the world. The rush to jatropha was driven by its guarantee as a sustainable source of biofuel that might be grown on degraded, unfertile lands so as not to displace food crops. But inflated claims of high yields fell flat.

Now, after years of research and advancement, the sole staying large plantation focused on growing jatropha remains in Ghana. And Singapore-based jOil, which owns that plantation, declares the jatropha resurgence is on.

“All those companies that stopped working, adopted a plug-and-play model of scouting for the wild ranges of jatropha. But to advertise it, you need to domesticate it. This is a part of the procedure that was missed [during the boom],” jOil CEO Vasanth Subramanian told Mongabay in an interview.

Having gained from the errors of jatropha’s previous failures, he states the oily plant might yet play a key function as a liquid biofuel feedstock, lowering transportation carbon emissions at the global level. A new boom might bring extra benefits, with jatropha also a possible source of fertilizers and even bioplastics.

But some researchers are doubtful, keeping in mind that jatropha has already gone through one hype-and-fizzle cycle. They warn that if the plant is to reach full potential, then it is necessary to gain from previous mistakes. During the first boom, jatropha plantations were hindered not only by bad yields, but by land grabbing, logging, and social problems in nations where it was planted, including Ghana, where jOil runs.

Experts also recommend that jatropha’s tale provides lessons for researchers and business owners checking out appealing brand-new sources for liquid biofuels - which exist aplenty.

Miracle shrub, significant bust

Jatropha’s early 21st-century appeal came from its guarantee as a “second-generation” biofuel, which are sourced from yards, trees and other plants not originated from edible crops such as maize, soy or oil palm. Among its numerous purported virtues was an ability to grow on degraded or “marginal” lands