Technology

CleanStar's Sustainable BioFuel Production System

CleanStar produces Diesel substitutes from oilseed-bearing trees as shown below.

The company focuses on promoting the planting of trees like Pongamia pinnata and Jatropha curcas, which can grow well on land that is unsuitable for food crop production.   The oil and seedcake produced from these trees is inedible and therefore also not usable as food.

Although these trees grow naturally in harsh semi-arid tropical regions of the world, significant technical development and management is required to ensure that cultivating these trees for energy is economically productive and environmentally sustainable.

Advantages of CleanStar's System

This approach is significantly more sustainable than current biodiesel feedstock systems:

1. The hardy inedible oilseed trees grow on idle land, meaning no Food vs. Fuel competition.

2. Rural employment is created initially to plant trees, and annually for maintenance & harvesting.

3. Once established, the trees are self-sufficient and do not require replanting for 30-50 years.

4. Consequently, this forestry-based system is much less energy, water and nutrient intensive than existing crop-based systems for biofuel feedstock production like Corn, Soya, or Oil Palm.

CleanStar's Areas of Expertise

Through research partnerships and own trials on private plantations sites in central India, CleanStar has developed technical expertise in the following areas:

1. Selection and improvement of planting material

2. Large nursery operations

3. Land identification and assessment

4. Community relations and engagement in all stages

5. Project planning & input/output estimation

6. Site preparation & planting

7. Plantation management

8. Harvesting & handling

9. Oilseed & byproduct processing

10. Biofuel use directly in Diesel engines (using award-winning technology from Regenatec, UK)