Alternative Energy-Vodou shrub is alternative fuel - by Jacqueline Charles
For generations, Vodou practitioners in rural Haiti have sworn by the mystic qualities of Jatropha, an indigenous plant believed to purge evil spirits and release the trapped souls of the dead. But the shrub may soon be in bigger demand among the living. Jatropha shows tremendous promise as a source of biofuel in Latin America and the Caribbean, and especially Haiti, which suffers from chronic shortages of diesel fuel, electricity -- just about everything except Jatropha. In June, Miami hosted a Jatropha World 2008 Conference that trumpeted the plant's properties. And later this week, alternative fuel sources such as Jatropha will likely share the spotlight again at an energy panel during the annual Americas Conference in Miami.It has been known for decades that the oil-producing seeds of the Jatropha curcas, once they are crushed and processed, can be a potent source of energy. But now the so-called ''miracle plant'' is sparking heightened interest as oil prices skyrocket and reports filter out of India and Nepal of power plants there being fueled by Jatropha.
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