Comparative energy and environmental analysis of Jatropha bioelectricity versus biodiesel production in remote areas

This study presents a comparative analysis between Jatropha seed production systems to generate bioelectricity versus production of biodiesel under current and optimised conditions. An LCA (life cycle assessment) has been developed, comprising both upstream and downstream processes, encompassing the farming, collection, fuel processing and usage phases. The following energy and environmental indicators were assessed: fossil depletion, GWP (global warming potential), TAP (terrestrial acidification potential ), and PMF (particulate matter formation).