Potential Bio-Diesel Plant Resources From China

Compared with petroleum diesel, bio-diesel has lots of advantages, such as bio-diesel is a renewable resource. Exploration of plant-based fuels has gained a lot of popularity in recent years and plant oils and fats as fuels have a bright future. This study had analysized 135 angiosperm plants and 61 of them had great potential for bio-diesel. Fatty acid components (especially C16-18 content), saponification number (SN), iodine value (IV), and cetane number (CN) had been examined to evaluate their potential for bio-diesel, actually their fatty acid methyle esters, based on the EN and ASTM bio-diesel standard. Cornus controversa (C16-18 content of 99.9%, SN=204.79 mg/g, IV=82.91 mg/100g, CN=51.81), Elaeocarpus hainanensis (95.3%, 199.25, 80.30, 53.22), Garcinia multiflora (97.9%, 200.10, 72.78, 55.02), Jatropha curcus (99.7%, 203.70, 82.50, 52.06), Lindera latifolia (70%, 228.38, 63.02, 54.13), Melliodendron xylocarpum (98.7%, 201.62, 72.03, 55.00), Michella hedyosperma (84.6%, 174.57, 86.06, 58.20), Prunus undulate (98.1%, 202.24, 84.53, 51.73), Tutcheria championii (100%, 202.59, 82.65, 52.17) and other 37 trees were recommended as potential bio-diesel plants. Euonymus alatus (97%, 205.27, 85.65, 51.05), Maytenus austroyunnanensis (79.8%, 165.77, 57.77, 64.49) and other 4 shrubs should be included for bio-diesel studies. Akebia trifoliate (98.4%, 201.72, 70.16, 55.47), Hodgsonia macrocarpa (100%, 206.02, 84.60, 51.22), Iodes vitiginea (100%, 217.92, 65.89, 54.54), and other 4 lianas should be considered as potential bio-diesel plants. Two annuals, Cyperus esculentus (100%, 202.06,89.04, 50.61) and Trichosanthes villosa (76%, 153.42, 105.32, 55.02), were also important bio-diesel candidates. Further studies and targeted breeding of these plants and establish some bio-diesel plantations with these plants will better secure our future renewable energy.