Trans-Asia Renewable Energy Corp. shared that Jatropha Curcas is not as hardy a plant as its supporters tout it to be. They said that after experimenting in their Jatropha Curcas farm at Laguna they found out that the plant actually needs a lot of water and it won’t grow in just any type of land. This in turn affects the commercial viability of the plant as a feedstock for biodiesel. With this revelation they also announced that they are dropping any plans to enter the biofuel industry.
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PNOC-Alternative Fuels Corp. (PAFC) recently signed an agreement with the Ilog Diversified Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Katilingban Sang Katawhan Sa Katayoyon Nga Kauswagan Sa Kabankalan Inc.(5K) to establish a 1,000-hectare jatropha curcas plantation in Negros Occidental. Jatropha Curcas is a very hardy plant that grows easily on infertile ground and its seeds could be used to make biodiesel.
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Leyte, the front door of almost all typhoons entering the Philippines is targeted for jatropha propagation by the PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp (PNOC-AFC). About 100 hectares worth of land is what they want to fill with jatropha curcas which will eventually be used for biodiesel production.
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Continental Airlines, fourth largest airline in the United States, successfully conducted a test flight on a Boeing 737-800 with one engine powered by a Jatropha Curcas mix.

The no-passenger flight lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes and originated from the Bush Intercontinental Airport.
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An Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 powered by 50% jatropha curcas based jet fuel had successfully completed a flight lasting for about two hours. One engine of the 747 was fueled by a 50% blend of Jatropha Curcas based jet fuel while the remainder was your average A1 jet fuel.
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According to some women B’laan tribal leaders from Sarangani province in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines; Jatropha Curcas cultivation for biofuels has caused hunger in their tribe as they have been planted in areas traditionally intended for food crops.

Over 500 hectares of land had been planted to Jatropha Curcas leaving them only a few hectares to plant food crops. The land that now holds Jatropha Curcas was once planted to rice, corn, banana and other root crops (most likely Cassava).
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