If you liked this story, share it with other individuals.

Earlier this century, jatropha was hailed as a "miracle" biofuel. A simple shrubby tree native to Central America, it was hugely promoted as a high-yielding, drought-tolerant biofuel feedstock that might grow on abject lands throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia.
A jatropha rush took place, with more than 900,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) planted by 2008. But the bubble burst. Low yields caused plantation failures almost all over. The aftermath of the jatropha crash was polluted by allegations of land grabbing, mismanagement, and overblown carbon reduction claims.
Today, some researchers continue pursuing the incredibly elusive guarantee of high-yielding jatropha. A comeback, they say, depends on breaking the yield problem and resolving the hazardous land-use issues linked with its original failure.
The sole remaining large jatropha plantation is in Ghana. The plantation owner declares high-yield domesticated varieties have actually been accomplished and a new boom is at hand. But even if this return falters, the world's experience of jatropha holds crucial lessons for any appealing up-and-coming biofuel.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Jatropha curcas, a simple shrub-like tree belonging to Central America, was planted throughout the world. The rush to jatropha was driven by its guarantee as a sustainable source of biofuel that might be grown on degraded, so as not to displace food crops. But inflated claims of high yields failed.

Now, after years of research and advancement, the sole staying big plantation concentrated on growing jatropha is in Ghana. And Singapore-based jOil, which owns that plantation, claims the jatropha comeback is on.

"All those companies that stopped working, adopted a plug-and-play design of scouting for the wild varieties of jatropha. But to advertise it, you need to domesticate it. This is a part of the process that was missed out on [throughout the boom]," jOil CEO Vasanth Subramanian told Mongabay in an interview.

Having gained from the errors of jatropha's past failures, he says the oily plant might yet play a key role as a liquid biofuel feedstock, reducing transport carbon emissions at the worldwide level. A new boom might bring extra benefits, with jatropha also a prospective source of fertilizers and even bioplastics.

But some scientists are doubtful, noting that jatropha has actually already gone through one hype-and-fizzle cycle. They warn that if the plant is to reach complete potential, then it is important to gain from past errors. During the first boom, jatropha plantations were hampered not just by poor yields, however by land grabbing, deforestation, and social issues in nations where it was planted, including Ghana, where jOil operates.

Experts also suggest that jatropha's tale offers lessons for researchers and business owners exploring appealing new sources for liquid biofuels - which exist aplenty.

Miracle shrub, significant bust

jatropha curcas's early 21st-century appeal stemmed from its guarantee as a "second-generation" biofuel, which are sourced from grasses, trees and other plants not originated from edible crops such as maize, soy or oil palm. Among its multiple supposed virtues was an ability to thrive on degraded or "marginal" lands