TITLE:
Multi-Criteria Assessment of Biofuel Production in Small Islands
AUTHORS:
David Legna-de la Nuez, Serafín Corral-Quintana, David Romero-Manrique de Lara
KEYWORDS:
Jatropha Crop, Biofuels, Multi-Criteria Assessment, Arid Soils
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Resources,
Vol.6 No.4,
April
7,
2015
ABSTRACT: This paper discusses various policy alternatives for the implementation of a biofuel crop on an island scale. It adopts an integrated approach by carrying out Multi-Criteria Assessment, as well as using a Geographical Information System. The assessment is based on an interdisciplinary research project carried out by the University of La Laguna to evaluate the agricultural and chemical feasibility, and the socio-economic implications of the cultivation of Jatropha as a source of biofuel on one of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura. A number of alternatives were analysed for growing Jatropha, and the results suggest that the best alternative involves using Typic Torrifluents soil and irrigation with reclaimed Recycled Urban Wastewater at 75% evapotranspiration cover.