The objective of this study is to identify Mexican nontoxic ecotypes of Jatropha curcas with potential for a sustainable agriculture practice to produce biodiesel and food products through a methodology and criteria of sustainability. In a rural region of Morelos state in central México, nine Mexican ecotypes of Jatropha curcas were evaluated in an experimental plantation with minimal water resources and fertilization. The experimental trial was assessed in terms of (1) toxicity, (2) growth and survival of the plants, (3) yield of seed, (4) residual biomass production, (5) oil characteristics for biodiesel production, (6) nutrimental properties of the seeds, and (7) changes in the chemical properties of the soil. Finally, two outstanding nontoxic ecotypes were identified as the most suitable for the establishment of Jatropha curcas crops to produce biodiesel and, at the same time, for food products using the de-oiled endosperm cake, for energy production from the residual biomass and for improvement of soil properties in marginal lands of rural regions of Morelos state.
Firewood is a solid biofuel that is widely used for cooking in Mexico’s residential sector. This study seeks to identify relevant factors in firewood consumption patterns, and their implications for climate change, gender, and health, and for energy poverty in Mexico, by climate region and socioeconomic level. For this purpose, a statistical analysis was conducted of recently published official information. We estimate that a total of 31.3 million Mexicans—26% of the total population—use firewood, and we have identified three main types of users: (i) exclusive firewood users (30%); (ii) mixed firewood users using firewood as their primary fuel (18%) and (iii) mixed firewood users using firewood as their secondary fuel source (52%). Total consumption of firewood was estimated at 116.6 PJ, while estimated greenhouse gas emissions were 8.1 million tCO2e. Out of all the households studied, 53% were in the tropical climate region; 59% were categorized as being in the “low” socioeconomic level; and 75% were in population centers comprising fewer than 2500 inhabitants. Some 68% of households do not pay for the acquisition of firewood, and for those households that do pay for the resource, estimated transactions total USD 286.9 million. Expenditures on firewood for energy represent up to 10% of household income. Finally, it was estimated that 15.7 million direct users of firewood are women who use the resource in three-stone fires, in which they expose themselves to health risks in doing so. In conclusion, main universal findings, the study’s limitations, and future research are presented.
El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la huella ambiental que genera el proceso de producción de biodiésel utilizando un ecotipo mexicano de Jatropha curcas como materia prima. Este ecotipo tiene un potencial de producción de semillas de hasta 1021 kg/ha en suelos con baja humedad y bajo nivel nutricional. La evaluación de la huella ambiental se determinó a través de un análisis de ciclo de vida de 18 categorías de impacto de punto intermedio con el método ReCiPe Jerárquico 2016. El sistema de producción analizado está constituido por las etapas: (i) obtenciónde materia prima, (ii) extracción de aceite y (iii) producción de biodiésel. Entre los resultados más relevantes, este sistema presentó emisiones potenciales en calentamiento global de 27.56 kg CO2 eq/GJ de biodiésel y un consumo de energía de 0.527 GJ de energía fósil/GJ de biodiésel. Debido a que en la etapa de cultivo de Jatropha curcas se invierten recursos mínimos, la etapa de extracción de aceite fue la que presentó los mayores impactos potenciales en 14 de 18 categorías evaluadas, principalmente debido al consumo de electricidad utilizado en el proceso de la separación de las cáscaras de frutos y semillas de Jatropha curcas; dicho proceso tuvo una participación de 80 % de las contribuciones. El ecotipo mexicano de Jatropha curcas cultivado en suelos marginales es prometedor como materia prima para la producción de biodiésel. El sistema de producción presentó reducciones en los impactos ambientales potenciales comparado con un sistema que utiliza un cultivo de Jatropha curcas con riego y fertilizantes.
Using information from an experimental planting of non-toxic Jatropha curcas (NTJC) with minimal water and fertilization resources on rural marginal soil the objective of this article is to determine the sustainability of this raw material for producing biodiesel and the possibilities for improving it through life-cycle assessment (LCA). Three production scenarios were studied: minimal resources (MR), which focuses on the obtaining of biodiesel; minimal resources and utilization of sub-products (MRUS), which includes the utilization of the residual products in order to produce food and solid biofuels, as well as biodiesel; and utilization of biofertilizers, flood irrigation, and sub-products (UBIS), which incorporates the use of bio-fertilizers and irrigation in the production system. This study includes the selection of six sustainability indicators, as well as indicators by means of LCA methodology Finally, a sustainability index (SI) for each scenario was determined on the basis of an index of environmental sustainability of energy products (IESEP). Our results indicated that the MR scenario yielded the lowest SI 0.673, while the MRUS scenario had the highest SI 0.956. It concludes that sustainability is greater when it utilizes minimal water and fertilization resources during the raw material production stage, and the residual products are used for food and energy products made possible by the non-toxic properties of Jatropha curcas.
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