A team of experts from the Cajamar Foundation and Almeria Albaida Recursos Naturales y Medioambiente (Spain) are conducting feasibility studies on the production of bioethanol in semi-arid lands using prickly-pear (Opuntia ficus indica) and the tobacco tree (Nicotiana glauca) as feedstocks. These two plant species are reported to be "perfectly adapted to conditions of extreme water shortage and at the same time these plants have high energy biomass due to the fermentation process of their organic matter". The use of semi-arid lands are appropriate plantation sites for bioenergy crop plantations because these lands are not usually used for food-crop cultivations. Experimental plantations of the crops have been initiated for the eventual bioethanol production. The project covers the "complete cycle of biofuels", from the bioenergy crop production, to biomass-feedstock processing (ethanol production), and eventually the application of the biofuel-ethanol in the motor industry. Small scale, locally operated distillation plants (generally located in port areas which receive supplies from remote regions) are envisioned instead of large distilleries..