118
C. Li et al.
In this section, nine woody plants and three herbal plants produced or introduced
in China are to be evaluated for researches on oil plants selection technology. The
oils and fats composition and oil content of the research objects are presented in the
Table 4.3.
Euphorbia tirucalli is an energy plant introduced in the US and South Africa.
This is a species of genus Euphorbia, Euphorbiaceae, and its whole plant can be
utilized. Its stalk and branch have 17.5% of latex, which contains 30–50% of olefin,
terpenoid, alcohol, C 30 H 50 O, natural rubber, hentriacontane, and hentriacontanol.
Its composition resembles that of petroleum (sulfur-free), which can be mixed with
other substances to form crude oil. It is easy to reproduce. It can be propagated by
cutting in subtropical and tropical areas, with a cutting cycle of about one to two
years. In the fourth year, the average latex crude oil output per hectare is 1400 kg.
One propagation promises harvest for 20 years (new branches grow after cutting,
with a renewal cycle of 20 years).
4.3.1.2 Selection Principles and Evaluation Indicators
The selection of raw material is based on the following criteria: oil content, oil
composition, oils and fats content and composition, oil-producing organs, propagation methods, propagation difficulty, people’s planting habit, yield per unit area or
fruit characteristics, suitable planting area, natural conditions in the suitable planting
area, size of the plant, plant life form, plant ecotype, population structure of the plant,
biomass ratio of canopy/plant or of aerial part/plant (herbal plants). By conducting
the Delphi survey, expert consultation and fuzzy evaluation, five key indicators have
been determined for evaluation.
(1) Oil content
Oil content is the primary indicator for the selection of biodiesel raw material. Oil
content determines the value of the energy plant. Insufficient oil content obstructs
the development and utilization of biodiesel raw material.
(2) Economic yield
Economic yield means the yield of fruits and seeds (latex for Euphorbia tirucalli).
The economic yield of energy plant determines its development value and potential.
The larger the yield, the better the value and potential.
(3) Suitable planting area
China with its vast territory features various landscapes from basin to the mountain
range. From south to north, it spans across tropical, subtropical, warm temperate,
temperate, and cold temperate zones. From east to west, it has moist, marine forest
land, semiarid and semi-humid grassland, desert-steppe ecotone, continental semiarid desert, and desert regions. The terrain stretches from the high-lying northwest
to the low-lying southeast. If a given energy plant has a larger suitable planting area,
C. Li et al.
In this section, nine woody plants and three herbal plants produced or introduced
in China are to be evaluated for researches on oil plants selection technology. The
oils and fats composition and oil content of the research objects are presented in the
Table 4.3.
Euphorbia tirucalli is an energy plant introduced in the US and South Africa.
This is a species of genus Euphorbia, Euphorbiaceae, and its whole plant can be
utilized. Its stalk and branch have 17.5% of latex, which contains 30–50% of olefin,
terpenoid, alcohol, C 30 H 50 O, natural rubber, hentriacontane, and hentriacontanol.
Its composition resembles that of petroleum (sulfur-free), which can be mixed with
other substances to form crude oil. It is easy to reproduce. It can be propagated by
cutting in subtropical and tropical areas, with a cutting cycle of about one to two
years. In the fourth year, the average latex crude oil output per hectare is 1400 kg.
One propagation promises harvest for 20 years (new branches grow after cutting,
with a renewal cycle of 20 years).
4.3.1.2 Selection Principles and Evaluation Indicators
The selection of raw material is based on the following criteria: oil content, oil
composition, oils and fats content and composition, oil-producing organs, propagation methods, propagation difficulty, people’s planting habit, yield per unit area or
fruit characteristics, suitable planting area, natural conditions in the suitable planting
area, size of the plant, plant life form, plant ecotype, population structure of the plant,
biomass ratio of canopy/plant or of aerial part/plant (herbal plants). By conducting
the Delphi survey, expert consultation and fuzzy evaluation, five key indicators have
been determined for evaluation.
(1) Oil content
Oil content is the primary indicator for the selection of biodiesel raw material. Oil
content determines the value of the energy plant. Insufficient oil content obstructs
the development and utilization of biodiesel raw material.
(2) Economic yield
Economic yield means the yield of fruits and seeds (latex for Euphorbia tirucalli).
The economic yield of energy plant determines its development value and potential.
The larger the yield, the better the value and potential.
(3) Suitable planting area
China with its vast territory features various landscapes from basin to the mountain
range. From south to north, it spans across tropical, subtropical, warm temperate,
temperate, and cold temperate zones. From east to west, it has moist, marine forest
land, semiarid and semi-humid grassland, desert-steppe ecotone, continental semiarid desert, and desert regions. The terrain stretches from the high-lying northwest
to the low-lying southeast. If a given energy plant has a larger suitable planting area,