US Bunge joins hands with SG Biofuels on jatropha biofuel R&D

(ADPnews) - Nov 11, 2010 - US sustainable plant oil company SG Biofuels Inc said on Wednesday it has teamed up with the North American arm of oilseed processing firm Bunge Ltd (NYSE:BG) in its efforts to turn jatropha seeds into feedstock for biofuel production.

As part of the strategic partnership, Bunge North America, together with SG Biofuels' other partners -- Life Technologies Corp (NASDAQ:LIFE) and Kansas-based Flint Hill Resources -- will provide a platform for the development and production of large amounts of crude jatropha oil. "The development of a successful market for jatropha requires that all aspects of the value chain are met, from crop science and proper agronomics all the way through processing and refining," said SG Biofuels president and CEO Kirk Haney.

Jatropha curcas is a non-edible shrub that is native to Central America. Its seeds contain high amounts of oil that can be refined using existing technology to produce diesel fuel, jet fuel and specialty chemicals. It can be effectively grown on marginal lands that are considered undesirable for other crops.

At the beginning of 2010, SG Biofuels and Life Technologies agreed to co-operate to speed up the development of jatropha with Life Technologies' biotechnology and synthetic biology tools. This autumn, they announced the completion of the sequence of the plant's genome.

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