Flint Hills Resources Renewables recently invested in SG Biofuels, a seed genetics and plantation development company based in San Diego, Calif.

The company is developing the next generation of jatropha seeds, managing plantations that grow the seeds in Central America, and harvesting the inedible fruit, whose seeds are crushed into crude jatropha oil. Jatropha is a plant native to Central America grown on land not suitable for producing food crops. If the company is ultimately successful with its development plan, crude jatropha oil could compete as a diesel feedstock without mandates or subsidies.