General Motors has already invested in ethanol start-ups Coskata and Mascoma. Now it is throwing more effort behind biodiesel.
The formerly bankrupt automaker teamed up with the Department of Energy and will develop two new experimental jatropha farms in India. The five-year partnership will reply on funding from both organizations.
Goal is to find strains of jatropha that will grow on marginal lands in the U.S. and elsewhere
The aim is to identify new strains of the drought-resistant plant that can grow on marginal land in the U.S. and elsewhere to produce significant quantities of oil to convert to biodiesel. The oil comes from the seed of the weed-like plant, which is known for its ability to grow in sandy, gravelly soils. Strains of jatropha for the experiment have been developed through selective breeding and laboratory optimization.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said he hopes the partnership will speed up efforts to turn jatropha into a commercially viable alternative to petroleum-based fuel. It will cultivate 408 acres of land in three locations, including in Kalol near GM’s India manufacturing plant.
GM has already begun testing jatropha-based biodiesel in its vehicles. The carmaker’s European division has a fleet of six cars running on jatropha blends. The company also used a 10 to 20 percent mixture to run vehicles in India several thousand miles.
GM’s biodiesel work began in India several years ago but on a much smaller scale than its development of ethanol.
Posted by Mark Boslet 
