JLPT N1 Reading Comprehension Lesson 23

It is said that oil reserves will last only 40 to 80 years. Furthermore, the development of new energy sources is also necessary to prevent global warming. Currently, various natural energies, such as solar, wind, wave, and geothermal, are being generated. One of these is (Note 1) bioethanol. It is a renewable natural energy that does not increase carbon dioxide in the air through combustion, and is therefore called (Note 2) carbon-neutral energy. The raw material can be any biological resource containing carbohydrates. In particular, crops with high sugar and starch content are more efficient to produce, which is why corn is primarily used in the United States and other countries. It goes without saying that this has contributed to soaring food prices. Amid this situation, a plant called Jatropha has recently begun to attract attention. Jatropha is toxic and inedible, yet it is easy to grow even on degraded land. Moreover, 30% of its seeds are oil, making it ideal for extracting biofuel. With an oil content five times that of soybeans and three times that of rapeseed, it is easy to imagine that it will become a promising fuel in the future. Since it can only grow in warm regions, Japan began cultivating it in Okinawa. Japan has a lot of abandoned farmland (Note 3), so I think we should utilize this land to plant Jatropha. While there is still much room for research, such as the cultivation of high-quality seedlings, methods for handling the pressed residue have also been developed. The cultivation of high-quality Jatropha seedlings is also progressing, and they have already succeeded in selling culture equipment to the world.