Both parties will jointly establish a seed farm to demonstrate jatropha growing in China. The farm will act as a training centre for agronomy practices and will produce a local supply of quality seeds for the planting of jatropha.

CEEP and Ministry of Agriculture personnel will be visit to D1’s international agronomy sites to learn best practice techniques for promoting biodiesel crops, particularly jatropha. Visits will also be undertaken to D1’s UK refinery operations to investigate the potential for establishing small-scale modular refinery operations in China.

Land suitable for jatropha curcas planting in China is most prevalent in the southern provinces in China, in particular Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Fujian, and Hainan. D1 will work with CEEP and suitable local organizations to undertake a detailed identification of existing non-agricultural land in these areas to evaluate planting potential and investigate opportunities to incorporate jatropha planting into existing rural agricultural programs.

The MOU also covers cooperation on climate change abatement and policy work. D1 and CEEP will work together to develop policies, models and procedures that will promote biodiesel development in China in support of both national policies, including China’s Renewable Energy Law, and policies pursued under the Kyoto Protocol such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).