Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for mass cultivation of Jatropha, installation of bio diesel plant and tissue culture development.

Biodiesel is a clean and better burning fuel which can be mixed with diesel in a ratio of up to 20 per cent and used as transport fuel without any modification in the engines. The use of biodiesel also results in substantial reduction in unburnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matters. HPCL has successfully completed field trials in bio diesel with the Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST), Mumbai,.

The project will be funded by HPCL and will focus on the selection of best species of Jatropha and its propagation to produce seeds of high oil content for bio diesel production. The initial cultivation of five lakh Jatropha trees and installation of bio diesel production unit will be undertaken in the current year 2006 will be followed by planting another five lakh trees from 2007 along with tissue culture research for micro propagation.