Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), a winter-grown crop that produces twice the oil per acre of soybeans, has become a potentially attractive biofuel source. The crop is harvested in the spring between segments of a typical corn/soybean rotation (double cropping).

The US Department of Agriculture (http://www. ars. usda. gov/is/pr/2010/101104 .htm) plans to establish geographically dispersed, advanced biofuel production plants using pennycress seeds. Harvested pennycress seeds contain about 36% oil, and

after oil extraction and conversion to biodiesel, the remaining material, called presscake, can be burned, gasified, or pyrolyzed to bio-oil. Both the extracted oil and the presscake become value-added products. It is estimated that an acre of pennycress can produce 95 gallons of biodiesel and another 95 gallons of bio-oil. In addition to its high yield, it is easy to grow and helps prevent soil erosion.

Pennycress is also important to the agricultural industry as the plant can potentially generate over $200 million annually in new farm income per million acres cultivated.

4.8

Moringa

The hardest thing to see is what is in front of your eyes.

Goethe — German writer, artist, and politician.

The Moringa oleifera tree is a possible solution to the “food-or-fuel” debate as Moringa gives both food and fuel. Since this book is about biofuels and biomass we start by stating that the pods of the Moringa tree contain 38-40% of non-drying, edible oil. Apart from its nutritional value it can also be converted into biodiesel, and the seedcake left after pressing can be used and sold as animal feed. Like Jatropha, Moringa grows best around the equator and does not survive freezing temperatures. It is here that the comparison with Jatropha stops!

The Moringa tree is the supermarket tree in your garden. Moringa is being promoted to combat poverty and malnutrition, and it is taking Africa by storm. It grows quickly in many types of environments and much of the plant is edible, for humans and animals alike. Other names for the Moringa tree are horseradish tree or drumstick tree.

The leaves contain all the essential amino acids, and are rich in protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and minerals. Feeding the high-protein leaves to cattle has been shown to increase weight gain by up to 32% and milk production by 43-65%.

The defatted seedcake can be used in water purification to settle out sediments and undesirable organisms, which is perfect in areas where poverty is a major problem.

This tree, although little known in the Western world, is nutritional dynamite. The immature pods are the most valued. The pods are extremely nutritious, con­taining all the essential amino acids along with many vitamins and other nutri­ents. The immature pod can be eaten raw or prepared like green peas or green beans, while the mature pods are usually fried and possess a peanut-like flavor. The seedcake after oil pressing contains 61% protein. Overall, its nutritional value most closely resembles olive oil.

The leaves are eaten as greens, in salads, in vegetable curries, as pickles, and for seasoning.

Moringa is a natural nutrition for the tropics — 25 grams daily of Moringa leaf powder will give a child the following recommended daily allowances: protein 42%, calcium 125%, magnesium 61%, potassium 41%, iron 71%, vitamin A 272%,

and vitamin C 22%. These numbers are particularly astounding, considering this nutrition is available when other food sources may be scarce. These leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: 7 times the vitamin C in oranges, 4 times the calcium in milk, 4 times the vitamin a in carrots, 2 times the protein in milk, and 3 times the potassium in bananas.

After the oil is extracted from the pods, the seedcake remaining contains the active components for removing turbidity (solid particles) from water. Since bac­teria adhere to the solids, this seedcake also effectively removes bacteria.

Moringa has another major advantage — it can be produced locally. Using Moringa can generate farm and employment income. The potential for Moringa to create a new market for a community is substantial.

4.8.1