Okra: A potential future bioenergy crop in Iran

The Iranian energy sector has recently discovered a great interest in the concept of renewable and clean energy. The interest is motivated primarily by concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global climate change, as well as the desire to find alternative and sustainable energy sources and create potential job opportunities related to these new technologies for future generations of Iranians. This study supports the search for alternative, sustainable energy sources by assessing okra's usability as a biofuel. Okra is an annual, warm season crop that provides a rich source of industrial oil and protein. According to our investigation, the seeds of Iranian okra ecotypes that have an oil content of 20% could produce up to 325 kg/ha oil yield. Our study on Iranian okra seed oil showed that, the most dominant fatty acids of are linoleic acid (C18:2) (38-40%), Palmitic acid (C16: 0) (29-30%), and Oleic acid (C18: 1) (19-22%). The biodiesel derived from okra via a transesterification reaction using an ultrasonic system could meet ASTM D6751 standards with satisfactory results in methyl ester content (more than 96%), viscosity (2.3-2.4mm(-2)/S, and flash point (155-158 degrees C)). Because of its high oil yield, quality, and large ecological adaptation window, okra is a strong contender to provide a new source of non-edible oil for biodiesel production in bioenergy farms.