Annual Progress Report 2009, Ogoshi

Executive SummaryOil from coconut, kamani, and Jatropha trees are being considered as feedstock for biodiesel production.. The objective of this project is to: 1 Establish whether a rela

Annual Progress Report 2009 Customizing Biodiesel Derived from Tropical Trees

Western Region SunGrant Initiative

January 2010

American Samoa Community College (Co-P.I Dr Don Vargo)

College of Micronesia (Co-P.I Dr W James Currie) Northern Marianas College (Co-P.I Dr Dilip Nandwani) University of Alaska – Fairbanks (Co-P.I Dr Juan Andres Soria)

University of Guam (Co-P.I Dr Mari Marutani) University of Hawaii (P.I Dr Richard Ogoshi, Co-P.I Dr Brian Turano, Co-P.I Dr Goro

Uehara)

Executive Summary

Oil from coconut, kamani, and Jatropha trees are being considered as feedstock for biodiesel production Biodiesel lowers emissions of particulate matter, sulfur, and carbon monoxide However, NOx emissions are equivalent or greater than petroleum diesel A relationship exists between the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids in biodiesel and NOx emission from diesel engines where greater unsaturation results in greater NOx emission The relationship may offer a way to reduce NOx emission from engine fueled

by biodiesel In some crops, higher air temperature during seed development decreases the degree of unsaturation in fatty acids and should lower NOx emissions Biodiesel that emits less NOx would make it a more desirable renewable fuel The objective of this project is to:

1) Establish whether a relationship exists between air temperature and degree of fatty acid unsaturation in oil of tropical tree crops coconut, kamani, and Jatropha, and

2) Whether the degree of unsaturation in the oil increases NOx emission from diesel engines

If these relationships are established, air temperature, as affected by topographical

elevation and season, would be an important indicator of where these trees may be grown and when seed may be harvested to minimize NOx emission

The American Samoa Community College (ASCC), College of Micronesia (COM), Northern Marianas College (NMC), University of Alaska – Fairbanks (UAF), University

of Guam (UOG), and University of Hawaii (UH) are collaborating to achieve project objectives ASCC has terminated its participation in the project COM, NMC, UOG, and

UH are producing vegetal oils from coconut, kamani, and Jatropha from a minimum of two sites at differing elevations UAF is preparing to analyze for fatty acids, convert oil to biodiesel and analyze engine emissions Oil producing institutions have characterized sites and are harvesting seed UOG, NMC, and UH will begin extracting oil from seed in early 2010

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Events in 2009 1

Progress in 2009 American Samoa Community College 2

College of Micronesia 3

Northern Marianas College 5

University of Alaska – Fairbanks 8

University of Guam 8

University of Hawaii 10

Financial Statement 11

Oil from tropical trees is being considered as feedstock for biodiesel production These trees include coconut (Cocos nucifera), kamani (Callophyllum inophyllum), and Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) The perennial nature of trees has the advantage of minimizing soil disturbance and lowering planting costs incurred routinely for annual crops Biodiesel is a fairly clean burning fuel compared to petroleum diesel, except for one emitted gas

can produce acid rain and ozone NOx is a greenhouse gas, 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide The EPA limits NOx emissions under the Clean Air Act

Diesel engines fueled with biodiesel, derived from vegetal oil, usually emit fewer

pollutants than petroleum diesel Biodiesel lowers emissions of particulate matter, sulfur, and carbon monoxide However, NOx emissions are equivalent or greater than petroleum diesel A relationship exists between the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids in biodiesel and NOx emission from diesel engines As the degree of unsaturation in the biodiesel increases, NOx emissions increase

The relation between degree of unsaturation and NOx emission may provide a way to reduce NOx emissions engines fueled with biodiesel In soybean and other oil seed crops, the degree of fatty acid unsaturation increases as air temperature during seed

development decreases If this relationship holds, oil seed grown in warmer regions would produce biodiesel with lower NOx emission potential

Biodiesel that emits less NOx would make it a more desirable renewable fuel The objective of this project is to:

3) Establish whether a relationship exists between air temperature and degree of fatty acid unsaturation in oil of tropical tree crops coconut, kamani, and Jatropha, and

4) Whether the degree of unsaturation in the oil increases NOx emission from diesel engines

If a relationship between air temperature, fatty acid unsaturation, and NOx emission exists, this information would be important to producers and buyers of biodiesel derived from these tropical trees Air temperature, as affected by topographical elevation and season, would be an important indicator of where these trees may be grown and when seed may be harvested to minimize NOx emission

Events in 2009

Five institutions in the Pacific region are collaborating to achieve the project objectives American Samoa Community College (ASCC), College of Micronesia (COM), Northern Marianas College (NMC), University of Guam (UG), and University of Hawaii (UH) are producing oils from coconut, kamani, and Jatropha University of Alaska – Fairbanks

(UAF) will conduct fatty acid analysis, convert the oil into biodiesel, and analyze diesel engine emissions The contract between Oregon State University and University of Hawaii was signed January 20, 2009 The sub-contracts between UH and the ASCC, COM, NMC, UG, and UAF were established by April 21, 2009

The oil producing institutions were given a protocol composed of activities to capture fatty acid differences attributable to temperature Each institution was to identify two sites that differed in mean annual air temperature, collect soil samples, apply fertilizer, record temperature data, collect seed and extract oil, and ship oils to UAF

On July 22, 2009, Dr Don Vargo regretfully requested termination of ASCC’s

participation in the project ASCC faced constant personnel changes and heavy workload

Dr Vargo felt that ASCC would not be able to fulfill their project objectives Termination was finalized on September 21, 2009, one week before the earthquake struck the Samoan Islands

The scope of work and budget left by ASCC was split between COM and UH An

amendment to the contract between UH and COM was signed January 13, 2010 COM and UH will each add one site to produce coconut oil

Progress in 2009

American Samoa Community College Agreements were established between ASCC

and village chiefs to collect coconuts from their trees on two sites (figures 1 and 2) The low elevation site is at approximately sea-level and the high site is 183 m above sea-level Soil samples were collected and analyzed for chemical composition (Table 1)

Figure 1 Lowe elevation site for coconut production in American Samoa Photo by Richard Park.

Figure 2 High elevation site for coconut production in American Samoa Photo by Richard Park

Table 1 Chemical composition of soil (0-15 cm depth) at two sites in American Samoa

Total carbon

College of Micronesia Five sites were identified and use of the coconut trees was

negotiated with the landowners Three of the sites are in the state of Pohnpei:

1 Sapwitik Island – An atoll that was a major coconut producer during World War

II The elevation is 0 to 20 m Coconut trees are approximately 6 to 12 m tall

2 Pehleng – A village near the College of Micronesia Elevation is 100 to 120 m Coconut trees are approximately 5 to 9 m tall These trees were planted in the last

18 years for family consumption (Figure 3)

3 Salapwuk – A site on the tallest mountain in Pohnpei Elevation is approximately

300 m Coconut trees are about 6 to 12 m tall This site is a plantation planted in the past 20 to 25 years

Two sites in the state of Kosrae were identified by Currie and Kalwin Kephas in Utwe village and Malem The Malem site was replaced with a site in Tafunsak due to land issues The Utwe site is near sea-level and the Tafunsak site is upland

Soil samples from Sapwitik and Pehleng were collected analyzed for chemical

composition (Table 2) Additional soil collection is pending

The SunGrant project is being used to teach students in the Certificate of Agriculture program topics such as soil sampling, alternate energy, and effects of fertilizer on coconut growth The students have practiced site preparation and documentation, and soil

sampling Since the project coconut trees are fertilized, the students have also learned to record the effect of fertilizer application on coconut leaf color and flower production

Figure 3 Agriculture students from College of Micronesia examine coconut trees at the Pehleng site Photo by Totoa Fetalai-Currie.

Figure 4 Agriculture students from College of Micronesia collect and clean coconuts at the Salapwuk site Photo by Totoa Fetalai-Currie.

Table 2 Chemical composition of soil (0-15 cm depth) at two sites in Pohnpei,

Micronesia

Total carbon

Northern Marianas College Experimental sites on the islands of Saipan (Figure 5),

Rota and Tinian (Figure 6) were selected after an initial survey was conducted (Table 3) Two sites, San Vicente and Marpi Grotto, were discarded on the island of Saipan At each site, the trees were counted (not including flowering trees) and labeled Location data were recorded for all the sites on the islands of Saipan and Rota Data on flowering were recorded, fertilizer applied and soil samples collected from each site throughout the three islands (Table 4) Soil samples sent to University of Hawaii for analysis and results were received for all the sites in September-October (Table 5)

Collection of nuts began in October and December from the sites in Saipan, Rota and Tinian Data on the weight of nuts and kernels were collected (Figures 7 and 8) The nuts manually cracked and dried either in the oven or sun Oil press and decorticator machines were ordered and received Both machines are currently under installation at NMC-CREES, Saipan Sample extraction of oil was conducted on processed kamani nuts collected from Rota (Figure 9)

Figure 5 Kamani tree on experiment site at the campus of the Northern Marianas College – CREES, Island of Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands.

Figure 6 Kamani trees on the Evangelist farm, Island of Tinian, Northern Marianas Islands.

Table 3 Characteristics of sites for kamani and coconut production on the islands of Saipan, Rota and Tinian

Village Coordinates Elevation (m) No of Trees

Marpal valley, Tinian

Table 4 Agronomic data and activities for experimental sites in the College of Northern Marianas

Island Crop Flowering Application

of Fertilizer (16:15:16)

Collection

Of Nuts Nuts Collected

from the Site (kg)

Weight of Kernels after shelling (kg)

Soil Analysis

July-August-09 October, 2009 November-09 &

January-10

2009

2009

Tinian kamani Sept.-Oct.,

2009

September 2009

December 2009

2009

2009

Table 5 Chemical composition of soil (0-15 cm depth) at three sites in Northern

Marianas Islands

N

%

Total carbon

%

P ppm

K ppm

Ca ppm

Mg ppm

B ppm

Mn ppm

Fe ppm

Cu ppm

Zn ppm

NMC-CREES

Rota

Rota

Resort

Evangelista

Figure 7 Kamani fruit collected from Northern Marianas Islands.

Figure 8 Kernels of kamani after manually removing its shell.

Figure 9 Extraction of oil from kamani kernels collected from Island of Rota, Northern Marianas Islands.

University of Alaska – Fairbanks Supplies were purchased for oil analysis, conversion

of vegetal oil to biodiesel, and engine emission testing

University of Guam Three sites on the Island of Guam were selected for oil production

from kamani and Jatropha seed (Table 6) The sites vary in elevation from 75 m at the University of Guam campus to 180 m at Yigo village The soil type is Guam cobbly clay

or Guam mixture Soil samples were collected and analyzed for chemical composition

months The kernels were vacuum packed and stored at 8 °C until pressed to extract oil Jatropha seed were collected from the experimental site at Yigo village (Figure 11)

The Jatropha trees declined at the Yigo village and poor yields were obtained Additional trees were propagated from stem cuttings These are to be outplanted in early 2010

Table 6 Characteristics of sites for kamani and Jatropha production on the islands of Guam

Village Coordinates Elevation (m) Soil

E 144° 54.37’

Table 7 Chemical composition of soil (0-15 cm depth) at three sites on the Island of

Guam

Total carbon

University

Dededo

village

Yigo

Figure 10 Kamani fruit collected on the Island of Guam.

Figure 11 Jatropha trees at Yigo village on the northern portion of the Island of Guam.

University of Hawaii Two sites were selected for Jatropha production located on the

Islands of Oahu and Maui (Table 8) The elevations of the sites are 190 and 488 m The

experimental site at Poamoho Experiment Station has three year old Jatropha trees

(Figure 12) A soil sample was collected and analyzed for chemical composition and

fertilizer applied (Table 9) Approximately 10 kg of seed has been collected The Kula

Agricultural Park site has been prepared and will be planted in early 2010

A screw-press to extract oil from seed was procured and tested Experiments are being

conducted to determine optimum seed moisture for expelling oil

Table 8 Characteristics of sites for Jatropha production on the islands of Oahu and Maui

Village Coordinates Elevation (m) Soil type

Station

N 21° 32.5’

W 158° 5.25’

clay

Figure 12 Jatropha trees at the Poamoho Experiment Station, Island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Table 9 Chemical composition of soil (0-15 cm depth) at the Poamoho Experiment Station site on the Island of Oahu

Total carbon

Financial Statement

Project: Customizing Biodiesel Derived from Tropical Trees (Sun Grant Project)

Cumulative

Salaries & Wages 3,373 - 3,373.00 Fringe Benefits 30 - 30.00

* Services 106,715 21,831.05 73,643.95 11,240.00 Materials & Supplies 3,802 1,013.43 2,788.57 Travel Domestic 1,920 - 1,920.00 Util & Communication - 153.30 (153.30) Others 4,160 463.05 1,157.00 2,539.95

Total Direct Cost 120,000 23,460.83 74,800.95 21,738.22 Indirect Cost @25% 30,000 5,865.22 18,700.24 5,434.54

Total Costs 150,000 29,326.05 93,501.19 27,172.76

*Services - Subcontract breakdown

Award CumulativeExpenses Encumbrances Balance Invoice Period

U of Alaska 61,755 11,711.97 50,043.03 - thru 9/30/2009

U of Micronesia 11,240 - 11,240.00 -

U of Guam 11,240 4,595.56 6,644.44 - thru 8/31/2009 Northern Marianas 11,240 5,523.52 5,716.48 - thru 9/30/2009

*Samoa Com College 11,240 - - 11,240.00 Cancelled

Total 106,715 21,831.05 73,643.95 11,240.00

* Expenses don't reflect invoices of $2,667.09 by U of Guam and $3,255.84 by U of Micronesia as they are in process of payment

* Subcontract cancellation by Samoa Community College will be re-allocated by U of Hawaii and Micronesia

U of Hawaii 8,700 - 8,700.00

U of Alaska 12,395 2,515.50 9,879.50 thru 9/30/09

U of Micronesia 2,248 - 2,248.00

U of Guam 2,248 - 2,248.00 Northern Marianas 2,248 - 2,248.00

Samoa Com College 2,248 2,248.00 cancelled

Total 30,087 2,516 27,571.50