LAUNCHED: Jatropha Biofuel project in Indonesia

Online, April 14, 2010 (Newswire.com) - As part of the global race to find a sustainable alternative fuel, City of London-based investment company Aston Lloyd are inviting UK-based investors into their latest project, biofuels in Indonesia.

Leasing a massive 10,000 hectares on the island of Java, Indonesia, Aston Lloyd will be growing a hybrid of the jatropha plant, a drought-resistant inedible green shrub, on marginal land which will not involve displacing any food production, therefore answering much of the criticism levelled at biofuels. The climate in Indonesia is perfect for jatropha, and the government are aiming to have 1.5 million hectares of jatropha under cultivation by the end of 2010, with the potential to become the world's first biofuel superpower.

As well as sustainable, the investment is ethical too. For every 10,000 hectares sold through the investment, 33,000 new local jobs will be created. The community of farmers localised to the plantation will be helped by funding the construction of schools, health centres, and general infrastructure.

Many companies and governments are funding research into jatropha. NASA recently launched the shuttle Endeavour carrying jatropha onboard, where they will be carrying out experiments on the plant in space. China's largest offshore oil and gas producer has begun a project to produce 150,000 tonnes of jatropha biodiesel a year, and Air New Zealand said in 2008 that it expects to use at least one million barrels of sustainable biofuel annually by 2013, after a successful two-hour test flight with a jatropha powered Boeing 747.

Aston Lloyd will be selling the right to income on individual hectares of land in Java to investors, offering an easy way into the biofuels market. There is a long-term fixed price offtake agreement with a number of biofuel plants, offering a guaranteed return for investors.

Aston Lloyd's Managing Director Michael Lucas said, "Investors don't want to put as much of their money into UK property, or underperforming equities these days. There is a definite shift towards sustainable and ethical investing, and we're hoping that this new project not only makes a profit, but helps towards mitigating some of the effects of climate change in years to come."

For more information download the project brochure at: http://www.astonlloyd.co.uk/lp-jatropha-project-pr.php