Iranian experts and scientists for the first time managed to produce biodiesel fuel using the oil extracted from Jatropha curcas plant cultivated in Southern Iran, FARS news agency reported.
"Iran could produce biodiesel fuel through extracting oil from Jatropha plant which was grown in Bandar Abbas in a pilot (project)," member of the Presiding Board of Iran's Scientific Forestry Association Peiman Yousefi Azar told FNA on Sunday.
"The oil is used as biodiesel fuel which is a common method in the world," he added.
Elaborating on the advantages of biodiesel fuel for different machines and systems, Yousefi Azar reiterated that using biodiesel fuel decreases air pollution and CO2 gas up to 85%.
Jatropha curcas is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America.
It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, becoming naturalized in some areas. The specific name, curcas, was first used by Portuguese doctor Garcia de Orta more than 400 years ago and is of uncertain origin.
The oily seeds are processed into oil, which may be used directly ("Straight Vegetable Oil") to fuel combustion engines or may be subjected to transesterification to produce biodiesel.