Jatropha is a scrub plant widely spread in South-America, Asia and Africa, which grows under comparatively dry conditions (250-1200 mm precipitation p.a.) and on poor soil. Jatropha nuts are toxic, which makes it known in rural areas as a hedge-plant that protects fields against animal predators.

For the same reason Jatropha is not cultivated as a food crop. Jatropha actually qualifies as an energy source in developing countries, because there is no competition with local food markets.

The Jatropha curcas L. variety has been tested as an energy source in a number of development projects and research programs since the early nineties, and it has shown very positive results.

Jatropha curcas L. produces seeds with an oil content of 30-50%. The Jatropha oil can be combusted as fuel without being refined. Jatropha oil burns with a clear, smoke-free flame. Within a development project conducted by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in Mali Jatropha oil has been successfully tested as fuel for simple Diesel-engines with precombustion-chamber used in agricultural production for mills and water pumps. The esterification with methanol or ethanol then produces biodiesel (methyl- or ethyl-ester) which can be used for Diesel-engines in ordinary vehicles.

For the past two years Bioenergy Plantations (BEP) has done extensive research in studying the growth of the Jatropha plant in tropical areas of India without irrigation. Bioenergy Plantations research and development center has been testing different lines and varieties of Jatropha plants. Bioenergy Plantations has also been measuring germination percentages and Jatropha oil content from several different varieties of Jatropha seeds.

The Jatropha tree uses are many and range from non-edible Jatropha oil production to soap production to pharmaceutical production.