GAS-L: Re: vegetable oil for running diesel engines

[Peter Singfield <snkm@btl.net>]

Dear Listers;

Simply reminding --

In the original contribution in regards to this subject --

I was suggesting that using tree oil to fuel a very small diesel for micro
electrical power needs is hard to beat.

Granted -- running a full scale power plant would be "wasteful".

Of further interest --

Jatropha is native to the Yucatan -- this same area I write from.

Processing is extremely labor intensive. Even more so than Cohune. So many
small "seed" to harvest for any quantity of oil.

In densely populated areas -- anything that makes "shade" has to be
productive.

The oil produced to shade created ratio of jatropha is not so good. The
rest of the plant is of no great value.

We must always consider the efficiency of conversion in regards to
available land -- sunlight -- and product.

I believe when it comes to tree oils -- India is quite advanced in this
aspect. 

Their palm oil "plantations" being extremely productive.

The "trash" left after oil extraction from coconut is of high protein and a
"food". Both for humans and livestock.

Jatropha yields no such bounty. Palm "trash" is a more difficult "food" as
well.

Cohune palm nut -- another local species to this area has never existed in
plantations -- only wild.

But the "trash" from cohune nut oil extraction is quite nutritious. And
from observing wild yields -- I am prepared to believe that plantations of
such would exceed yields from present palm plantations.

Curious about Cohune??

"The nuts of the Cohune Palm can be a source of oil, the meat pounded into
flour, and the husks burned to make charcoal.  The fronds are used to make
thatched roofs."

Here are a few urls:

http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/ipgri/fruits_from_americas/frutales/Ficha%20Attale
a%20cohune.htm

http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0043e/X0043E06.htm

Discusses 3 "oils" -- cohune is the last -- so read through well.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0043e/X0043E06.htm

Good picture of "cluster"

http://www.caske2000.org/ngo/survival/cohunepalm.htm

Importance to local indigenous people here still living "stone-age"

http://www.floridata.com/ref/A/atta_coh.cfm

http://www.indiana.edu/~wanthro/sust.htm

Interesting "paper" on "sustainable-development" for this area that has
info on cohune nut.

***********************

Cohune palm appears to be totally disease resistant. Probably would plant
in India/Africa as well.

I never could understand how "Janus" could go crazy over jatropha yet miss
Cohune.

But then -- always beware when dealing with "experts" from modern
industrialized nations!

Cohune is a bounty for food -- oil -- construction material and very high
quality charcoal.

So I feel it is proper to suggest utilizing the oil here for "diesels" --
as at present -- 99.9 percent of this fine material lays abandoned -- and
eventually decomposing -- all about our plentiful jungles here.

Granted -- this is not the situation in India.

I am trying to encourage a few farmers here to try small plantations. But
it takes 5 to 7 years to know.

Still -- though "Janus" was not interested -- surely -- India should be!

Peter / Belize


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