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TheBioenergySite Latest News
Monday, January 14, 2008
Print This Page Could Afghan poppy be used to produce biodiesel?
AFGHANISTAN - Sir Edmond Phelps and Graciana del Castillo (“A strategy to help Afghanistan kick its habit”, January 4) make an important contribution to the discussion of how best to help Afghans stop growing poppy for narcotics and start growing something legal that can provide a decent living.Perhaps those working on this question should consider using the poppy already grown in Afghanistan to produce biomass for biodiesel. Biodiesel is made using plant oils and can be a fuel in its pure form with some engine modifications, although it is usually blended with regular diesel.
In a small Australian pilot programme in 2005, Tasmanian farmers used biodiesel produced from poppy seed, which is about 50 per cent oil, to run their tractors.
Given the stakes in Afghanistan, Nato should propose a crash programme of international research to determine whether opium poppy can be economically used as biomass for the large-scale production of biodiesel. Assuming the technical questions can be tackled, there will be other issues.
Source: FT.com
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