Cuba expands its second biofuel production

Cuba has opened its second biodiesel plant and plans to build three more to produce green fuel from inedible plants, the state-run TV reported.

The new plant is now having trial run in the town of Cabaiguan in the central province of Sancti Spiritus, the report said Wednesday, adding the authorities have planned to install three more in the western province of Matanzas, reported Xinhua.

Currently, there are on the island about 110 hectares of land cultivated with jatropha curcas, an oil-rich plant that will be used as the raw material to feed the plants.

The seeds of the shrub known as "milk nut" are rich in oil but toxic for human consumption, Jose Sotolongo, director of the Center for Applied Technology for Sustainable Development in the eastern province of Guantanamo, was quoted by Cuban television as saying.

"It offers the additional advantage that its cultivation is feasible in areas of little or no agricultural value."

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