who will always be found at the base of biomass or energy pyramids
Ecological pyramid


An ecological pyramid (also trophic pyramid, Eltonian pyramid, energy pyramid, or sometimes food pyramid) is a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or bioproductivity at each trophic level in a given ecosystem. A "pyramid of energy" shows how much energy is retained in the form of new biomass at each trophic level, while a "pyramid of biomass" shows how much biomass (the amount of living or organic matter present in an organism) is present in the organisms. There is also a "pyramid of numbers
8722136
Ecological pyramid


the volume of higher levels is greater than could be supported by the local primary production. When energy is transferred to the next trophic level, typically only 10% or 12% of it is used to build new biomass, becoming stored energy (the rest going to metabolic processes). Advantages of the "pyramid of energy" as a representation: Disadvantages of the "pyramid of energy" as a representation: A "pyramid of biomass" shows the relationship between biomass and trophic level by quantifying the biomass present at each
8722140
Trophic level


, and in this way can be regarded as resting on, or supported by, the next lower trophic level. Food chains can be diagrammed to illustrate the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to the next in a food chain. This is called an energy pyramid. The energy transferred between levels can also be thought of as approximating to a transfer in biomass, so energy pyramids can also be viewed as biomass pyramids, picturing the amount of biomass that results at higher levels from biomass consumed at lower levels.
9334129
Food web


consume. Phytoplankton live just a few days, whereas the zooplankton eating the phytoplankton live for several weeks and the fish eating the zooplankton live for several consecutive years. Aquatic predators also tend to have a lower death rate than the smaller consumers, which contributes to the inverted pyramidal pattern. Population structure, migration rates, and environmental refuge for prey are other possible causes for pyramids with biomass inverted. Energy pyramids, however, will always have an upright pyramid shape if all sources of food energy are included and this is dictated by
15455741
Biomass (ecology)


and use it to create energy-rich molecules such as carbohydrates. This mechanism is called primary production. The pyramid then proceeds through the various trophic levels to the apex predators at the top. When energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, typically only ten percent is used to build new biomass. The remaining ninety percent goes to metabolic processes or is dissipated as heat. This energy loss means that productivity pyramids are never inverted, and generally limits food chains to about six levels. However, in oceans,
3351550
Food web


of energy transfer decreasing as species become further removed from the source of production is one of several patterns that is repeated amongst the planets ecosystems.\ The size of each level in the pyramid generally represents biomass, which can be measured as the dry weight of an organism. Autotrophs may have the highest global proportion of biomass, but they are closely rivaled or surpassed by microbes. Pyramid structure can vary across ecosystems and across time. In some instances biomass pyramids can be inverted. This pattern is often identified in aquatic and coral reef ecosystems
15455739
Food web


separate producers. There is usually a maximum of four or five links in a food chain, although food chains in aquatic ecosystems are more often longer than those on land. Eventually, all the energy in a food chain is dispersed as heat. Ecological pyramids place the primary producers at the base. They can depict different numerical properties of ecosystems, including numbers of individuals per unit of area, biomass (g/m), and energy (k cal m yr). The emergent pyramidal arrangement of trophic levels with amounts
15455738
Biomass (ecology)


(5.3±3.6), and weighs 50 billion tonnes. In comparison, the total mass of the biosphere has been estimated to be as much as 4 tonnes of carbon. An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation that shows, for a given ecosystem, the relationship between biomass or biological productivity and trophic levels. An ecological pyramid provides a snapshot in time of an ecological community. The bottom of the pyramid represents the primary producers (autotrophs). The primary producers take energy from the environment in the form of sunlight or inorganic chemicals
3351549
Ecological pyramid


pyramid of energy" or "pyramid of productivity" shows the production or turnover (the rate at which energy or mass is transferred from one trophic level to the next) of biomass at each trophic level. Instead of showing a single snapshot in time, productivity pyramids show the flow of energy through the food chain. Typical units are grams per square meter per year or calories per square meter per year. As with the others, this graph shows producers at the bottom and higher trophic levels on top. When an ecosystem
8722138
Biomass Energy Centre


Biomass Energy Centre is a biomass fired CHP power station located in the town of Chilton in County Durham. Opened in 2011, the plant was developed, and then owned and operated by Veolia Energy-Dalkia. In May 2009, Veolia Energy-Dalkia, who had a base in nearby Cramlington, Northumberland and had previously provided cogeneration (CHP) plants for the Newcastle General, Freeman and Royal Victoria Infirmary hospitals in Newcastle, announced their plans to build a biomass fueled CHP power station in the County Durham town of Chilton.
7379814
Ecological pyramid


" representing the number of individual organisms at each trophic level. Pyramids of energy are normally upright, but other pyramids can be inverted or take other shapes. Ecological pyramids begin with producers on the bottom (such as plants) and proceed through the various trophic levels (such as herbivores that eat plants, then carnivores that eat flesh, then omnivores that eat both plants and flesh, and so on). The highest level is the top of the food chain. Biomass can be measured by a bomb calorimeter. A "
8722137
Renewable energy in California


5,767 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2017, contributing to about 2.8 percent of the state's total energy usage. There are 93 operating biomass-based power plants in California. California's biomass power mostly comes from waste-to-energy based power plants. There are four specific types of biomass power generation in California: biomass, digester gas (anaerobic digestion), landfill gas, and municipal solid waste. In addition to these four categories, there is one biomass electricity plant in the state that uses chipped-up
6552139
UBC Biomass Research and Demonstration Facility


and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BCD). The project includes efforts from UBC, Nexterra and GE Energy. The process began in 2010 to create North America's first demonstration of a community-scale version of an internal combustion engine that was based on a combined heat and power (CHP) system fuelled by woody biomass. Nexterra was founded in Vancouver, Canada, and creates energy-from-waste gasification systems for the production of clean, renewable heat and power. It utilizes biomass in the form of wood
18931153
Renewable energy in Russia


, or 9 TWh/year, of Russia's total energy. However, due to Russia's vast forest and peat reserves, it has a total biomass technical potential of 431 TWh/year, of which 285 TWh/year is economically feasible. Most of this potential is found in northwestern Russia, which has a developed pulp and paper industry that can provide wood-based waste to use as biomass energy. Use of peat for energy production was prominent during the Soviet Union, with the peak occurring in 1965 and declining
4155763
Food web


. The amount can be less than one percent in animals consuming less digestible plants, and it can be as high as forty percent in zooplankton consuming phytoplankton. Graphic representations of the biomass or productivity at each tropic level are called ecological pyramids or trophic pyramids. The transfer of energy from primary producers to top consumers can also be characterized by energy flow diagrams. A common metric used to quantify food web trophic structure is food chain length. Food chain length is another way of describing food webs as a measure of the number of
15455735
Renewable energy in California


California. It's developed by the Union Oil Company of California (UNOCAL). In 2005, the Energy Policy act evolved America's policy by giving tax incentives for energy production. This made for a more competitive environment for geothermal energy with fossil fuels. Biomass power is power generated by extracting the energy stored in plants and animals. Biomass is all solid, nonhazardous, cellulosic material taken from forested areas. California ranked first in the United States in power generation from biomass in 2017. Biomass-based electricity in California produced
6552138
Ecology


Biodiversity within ecosystems can be organized into trophic pyramids, in which the vertical dimension represents feeding relations that become further removed from the base of the food chain up toward top predators, and the horizontal dimension represents the abundance or biomass at each level. When the relative abundance or biomass of each species is sorted into its respective trophic level, they naturally sort into a 'pyramid of numbers'. Species are broadly categorized as autotrophs (or primary producers), heterotrophs (or consumers), and Detritivores (or decomposers).
9631642
Primary production


rate of carbon assimilation in plant tissues, organs, whole plants, or plankton samples can be quantified by biochemically based techniques, but these techniques are decidedly inappropriate for large scale terrestrial field situations. There, net primary production is almost always the desired variable, and estimation techniques involve various methods of estimating dry-weight biomass changes over time. Biomass estimates are often converted to an energy measure, such as kilocalories, by an empirically determined conversion factor. In terrestrial ecosystems, researchers generally measure net primary production (NPP).
380235
Indoor air pollution in developing nations


of biomass. Kenya's pre-dominant energy source is biomass, providing more than 90 per cent of rural household energy needs, about one-third in the form of charcoal and the rest from firewood. Biomass energy sourced primarily from savannah woodlands includes firewood for inhabitants and charcoal for urban use. A small percentage is sourced by neighboring communities from closed and protected forests which are generally found in high population density areas. While biomass harvesting in sensitive areas is problematic, it is now determined that the great majority of biomass clearing
7991269
Bioenergy


the advantages of biomass fuel is that it is often a by-product, residue or waste-product of other processes, such as farming, animal husbandry and forestry. In theory this means there is no competition between fuel and food production, although this is not always the case. Land use, existing biomass industries and relevant conversion technologies must be considered when evaluating suitability of developing biomass as feedstock for energy. Biomass is the material derived from recently living organisms, which includes plants, animals and their byproducts. Manure,
13691776
Climate change mitigation


hot water/ space heating, and transport fuels. In 2011, the share of renewables in electricity generation worldwide grew for the fourth year in a row to 20.2%. Based on REN21's 2014 report, renewables contributed 19% to supply global energy consumption. This energy consumption is divided as 9% coming from burning biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (non-biomass), 3.8% hydro electricity and 2% as electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass thermal power plants. Renewable energy use has grown
9314313
Unfinished Northern Pyramid of Zawyet El Aryan


area. Next to nothing is known about the superstructure of the pyramid as indeed only the square base, made of natural bedrock, was finished. It measures and shows traces of a surrounding pedestal, preserved for the limestone covering. The exact planned size and slope cannot be evaluated because no covering blocks nor any pyramidion were ever found and pyramid pedestals were always larger than the base of the pyramid itself. Thus it cannot be excluded that the planned size of the pyramid could have been noticeably smaller. The substructure consists
5281599
Biomass (ecology)


at the bottom of the pyramid. Then come the primary consumers, such as grasshoppers, voles and bison, followed by the secondary consumers, shrews, hawks and small cats. Finally the tertiary consumers, large cats and wolves. The biomass pyramid decreases markedly at each higher level. Ocean or marine biomass, in a reversal of terrestrial biomass, can increase at higher trophic levels. In the ocean, the food chain typically starts with phytoplankton, and follows the course: Phytoplankton → zooplankton → predatory zooplankton → filter feeders →
3351552
List of renewable energy topics by country


generate more electricity from renewables than from nuclear power. Based on REN21's 2014 report, renewables contributed 19 percent to humans' global energy consumption. This energy consumption is divided as 9% coming from traditional biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (non-biomass), 3.8% hydro electricity and 2% is electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. China is the world's largest producer of hydroelectricity, followed by Canada. Wind power capacity is growing at the rate of 26% annually, and is
21632097
Energy


organisms can occupy ecological niches that are not available to their simpler brethren. The conversion of a portion of the chemical energy to heat at each step in a metabolic pathway is the physical reason behind the pyramid of biomass observed in ecology: to take just the first step in the food chain, of the estimated 124.7 Pg/a of carbon that is fixed by photosynthesis, 64.3 Pg/a (52%) are used for the metabolism of green plants, i.e. reconverted into carbon dioxide and heat. In geology, continental
9631960
Energy in Hawaii


commercial wind turbines in the state with a total capacity of 206 MW. Hawaii has several biomass electric plants including the 10 MW Honolulu International Airport Emergency Power Facility, the 6.7 MW Green Energy Agricultural Biomass-to-Energy Facility on Kauai, and the 6.6 MW waste-to-energy Honua Power Project on Oahu. The 21.5 MW Hu Honua plant came online in 2016. Wärtsilä sold Hawaii Electric to be installed at Schofield Barracks Army Base on Oahu in 2017. The plant can run on solid or gas fuels including biomass
18939980
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007


the Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates that 35 billion gallons of ethanol-equivalent biofuels and 1 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel be consumed in the United States by 2022. The study found that the United States already has the capacity to produce 14 billion gallons of corn-grain ethanol (an amount close to the consumption mandate for conventional biofuels in 2022) and has infrastructure for producing 2.7 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel, Some of the key factors that influence environmental effects of biofuels are site specific and depend on
5889707
Alternative fuel


and recently dead biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production. It has become popular among coal power stations, which switch from coal to biomass in order to convert to renewable energy generation without wasting existing generating plant and infrastructure. Biomass most often refers to plants or plant-based materials that are not used for food or feed, and are specifically called nitrocellulose biomass.[2] As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly via combustion to produce heat, or indirectly after converting it to various forms of
1061383
Milltown Biomass-to-Energy Power Station


The Milltown Biomass-to-Energy Power Station was proposed as a 28 MWe biomass-to-electrical energy power station to be built near Milltown, Indiana in Crawford County. The project was proposed in December 2008 by Liberty Green Renewables (LGR), based in Georgetown, Indiana. After significant opposition to its proposal by local community organizations, in 2011, LGR requested permanent revocation of two air permits and one acid rain permit it had been issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. According to LGR representative, J.P.
19397136
Waste-to-energy


carried out at three full-scale incinerators in Switzerland showed that both methods came to the same results. Carbon 14 dating can determine with precision the biomass fraction of waste, and also determine the biomass calorific value. Determining the calorific value is important for green certificate programs such as the Renewable Obligation Certificate program in the United Kingdom. These programs award certificates based on the energy produced from biomass. Several research papers, including the one commissioned by the Renewable Energy Association in the UK, have been published that demonstrate how the carbon
19738837
Areva


its global renewable energies business group in 2006 as an expansion of its clean energy portfolio with renewable energy. This group represented four business lines: concentrated solar power, offshore wind power, biomass power, and hydrogen power storage and distribution. Areva built biomass power plants worldwide, representing 2.5 GWe of installed capacity. These plants located in Brazil, Chile, Germany, the Netherlands, India and Thailand. Its subsidiary Areva Renewables Brazil built biomass power plants based on bagasse (organic waste from sugar cane). In the United States
1430363
Biomass Thermal Energy Council


The Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) is a nonprofit organization in the United States focused on advancing the use of biomass for heat and other thermal energy applications. BTEC is an association of biomass fuel producers, appliance manufacturers and distributors, supply chain companies and non-profit organizations. The organization promotes biomass thermal energy as a renewable, responsible, clean and energy-efficient pathway to meeting America’s energy needs. BTEC engages in research, education, and public advocacy for the biomass thermal energy industry. BTEC was awarded two
70154
GreatPoint Energy


GreatPoint Energy, Inc. is a Chicago, Illinois based energy company that produces natural gas from coal, petroleum coke, and biomass utilizing catalytic hydromethanation. GreatPoint Energy was founded in 2005 by serial entrepreneur Andrew Perlman and his business partners. The company has raised $150 million in venture capital from Dow, AES Corporation, Suncor Energy Inc., Peabody Energy, Advanced Technology Ventures (ATV), Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Khosla Ventures and Citi Capital Advisors (CCA). In May, 2012 GreatPoint Energy
6445868
Biomass (ecology)


global bacterial biomass is. A census published by the PNAS in May 2018 gives for bacterial biomass ~70 billions of tonnes of carbon, equal to 15% of the whole biomass. A census by the Deep Carbon Observatory project published in December 2018 gives a smaller figure of up to 23 billion tonnes of carbon. Estimates for the global biomass of species and higher level groups are not always consistent across the literature. The total global biomass has been estimated at about 550 billion tonnes C. Most of this biomass is found on land,
3351559
Biorefinery


A biorefinery is a refinery that converts biomass to energy and other beneficial byproducts (such as chemicals). The International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 42 defined biorefining as "the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bioenergy (biofuels, power and/or heat)" . As refineries, biorefineries can provide multiple chemicals by fractioning an initial raw material (biomass) into multiple intermediates (carbohydrates, proteins, triglycerides) that can be further converted into value-added
4660323
List of countries by electricity production from renewable sources


This article is a list of countries by electricity generation from renewable sources every year. Note that most countries import and/or export electricity, so the percentage figures do not reflect the percentage of consumption that is renewable based. Based on REN21's 2016 report, renewables contributed 19.2% to humans' global energy consumption and 23.7% to their generation of electricity in 2014 and 2015, respectively. This energy consumption is divided as 8.9% coming from traditional biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (modern biomass, geothermal and solar heat)
2476854
Biomass


however, often an upgrade of the biomass is beneficiary. Upgrading to higher grade fuels can be achieved by different methods, broadly classified as thermal, chemical, or biochemical (see below). Historically, humans have harnessed biomass-derived energy since the time when people began burning wood fuel. Even in 2019, biomass is the only source of fuel for domestic use in many developing countries. All biomass is biologically-produced matter based in carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The estimated biomass production in the world is approximately 100
16785219
United States wind energy policy


based upon the environmental, economic, and energy security benefits that renewable energy resources can provide. Besides wind energy, the PTC also covers closed loop biomass, geothermal power, and half the rate for open loop biomass, hydropower, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste. The PTC provides a 2.2 cent per kilowatt-hour benefit for the first ten years of a renewable energy facility's operation. It is only available for wind energy equipment located within the United States and only if electricity produced is sold to an unrelated party
8425672
Stobart Energy


Stobart Biomass Holdings Ltd (trading as Stobart Energy and formerly Stobart Biomass) is the largest supplier of biomass fuel in the United Kingdom. Stobart Energy comes under the Energy division of the Stobart Group. On 24 March 2010, the Stobart Group announced the purchase of 50% of A. W. Jenkinson Biomass Ltd, from A. W. Jenkinson Forest Products, for £30 million, as an equal mix of cash and shares. A. W. Jenkinson Biomass Ltd was then renamed Stobart Biomass Products Ltd. Stobart Biomass transports sustainable wood products for use
10625696
Process miniaturization


being consumed and are non-renewable, future fuel and materials will be based on renewable biomass. The conversion of biomass into energy is perhaps more challenging to the technologist than energy from fossil fuels. Water, dissolved organic and inorganic compounds, and solid particulates of various size can be present in biomass processes. It is perhaps the development of microbial fuel cells where the philosophical thinking of process miniaturization will play a wider role. Distribution of knowledge, in a fashionable, intriguing style through miniaturized devices, can be substantially enhanced (
1551197
African Clean Energy


African Clean Energy is a social enterprise that produces and distributes solar-biomass hybrid energy systems in developing countries. The company was founded in Lesotho, where it manufactures the ACE 1 Ultra Clean Biomass Cookstove. The company's headquarters are in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. African Clean Energy is a family-owned business, established in 2011. The ACE 1 was developed in 2014 with support from crowdfunding and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. As of 2017, the company is active in Lesotho, Cambodia and Uganda. More than
17313663
New Generation Power International


New Generation Power International (NGPI) is an American energy company. The company is based in Chicago and was co-founded by company chairman Chirinjeev Kathuria in 2010. The company develops renewable energy in international markets from resources, such as solar power, hydropower, biomass, wind power, geothermal, waste-to-energy, and cogeneration. It has also developed, invests, owns, and operates infrastructure assets in the areas of utility-scale power generation, and distributed generation. NGPI was given a contract to develop
10758248
Environmental issues in India


and biomass for energy purposes. Traditional fuel (fuelwood, crop residue and dung cake) dominates domestic energy use in rural India and accounts for about 90% of the total. In urban areas, this traditional fuel constitutes about 24% of the total. Fuel wood, agri waste and biomass cake burning releases over 165 million tonnes of combustion products into India's indoor and outdoor air every year. These biomass-based household stoves in India are also a leading source of greenhouse emissions contributing to climate change. The annual crop
18139845
Biofuels Center of North Carolina


the woody biomass resources in North Carolina provide an opportunity to develop a North Carolina biofuels industry based on woody biomass. Currently, of total of the woody biomass in North Carolina is privately owned. Improved forest management practices and purpose-grown trees provide options for enhanced economics and environmental sustainability. While it is possible to grow a number of crops in North Carolina, including energy grasses such as switchgrass and miscanthus, the Biofuel Center's primary focus is on forest resources. Advanced biofuels from lignocellulosic feedstocks and energy crops offer an improved
21393219
Duke Energy


In a joint venture with the French-based global energy firm AREVA, under the nominal name of ADAGE, Duke Energy has planned a "Green" biomass burning facility in Mason County, Washington and is negotiating with forestland owners to secure the 600,000 tons of wood debris it needs yearly to fuel its $250 million biomass plant. The joint venture between electric power company Duke Energy and global nuclear services giant AREVA was created to build wood waste-to-energy power plants around the country. ADAGE president Reed Wills announced the
13575174
Biomass


sugarcane, and bamboo. The main waste energy feedstocks are wood waste, agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, manufacturing waste, and landfill gas. Sewage sludge is another source of biomass. There is ongoing research involving algae or algae-derived biomass. Other biomass feedstocks are enzymes or bacteria from various sources, grown in cell cultures or hydroponics. Based on the source of biomass, biofuels are classified broadly into two major categories: First-generation biofuels are derived from food sources, such as sugarcane and corn starch. Sugars
16785221
Pyramid power


matches before losing the series' decisive game seven. Terry Pratchett's fantasy novel "Pyramids" incorporates elements of the theory when an industry develops based around pyramids' ability to stop time. It is common in New Age magazines to see advertisements for open metal-poled pyramids large enough to meditate under. The New Age group Share International, founded by Benjamin Creme, practices a form of meditation called 'Transmission Meditation' using an open metal-poled tetrahedron in order to tune into the cosmic energy of Maitreya and other spiritual
14248277
T2 Energy Centre


The T2 Energy Centre is a biomass-fuelled combined heating and power (CHP) station at Heathrow Airport in London, England, which opened in December 2012. It provides electricity and heat to Terminal 2 and Terminal 5. The energy centre, which has a CHP base heating load of 9 MW (thermal) and a biomass CHP power output of 1.8 MW (electric), took its first delivery of woodchip fuel in November 2012. The Energy Centre uses 25,000 tonnes of woodchips a year, which is sourced within a
8414825
Blue Marble Energy


Blue Marble Biomaterials (formerly Blue Marble Energy), founded in 2007, is a US-based company which utilizes hybridized bacteria to produce specialty biochemicals and renewable biogas. The company develops and generates these biochemicals using non-virgin cellulose as biomass. Blue Marble Biomaterials is a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Marble Energy. Blue Marble has publicly announced that they are working with several large national and multi-national partners, including Welch's and Firmenich. In 2011, Blue Marble Energy opened their new Small Commercial Biorefinery located in Missoula
19612312
Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage


transporting biomass emits CO offsetting the amount of CO captured by BECCS. BECCS also face technical concerns about efficiency of burning biomass. While each type of biomass has a different heating value, biomass in general is a low-quality fuel. Thermal conversion of biomass has a typical efficiency of 20-27%. Coal-fired plant has an efficiency of about 37% for comparison. BECCS also faces a question whether the process is actually energy positive. Low energy conversion efficiency, energy-intensive biomass supply, combined with the
19148335
Biomass (ecology)


biomass pyramids can be wholly or partially inverted, with more biomass at higher levels. Terrestrial biomass generally decreases markedly at each higher trophic level (plants, herbivores, carnivores). Examples of terrestrial producers are grasses, trees and shrubs. These have a much higher biomass than the animals that consume them, such as deer, zebras and insects. The level with the least biomass are the highest predators in the food chain, such as foxes and eagles. In a temperate grassland, grasses and other plants are the primary producers
3351551
Areva


, Areva formed a partnership with Duke Energy to build and operate 55 MW biomass power plants based on wood waste. Areva acquired a bio-coal production technology called Thermya, which produces a biofuel issued from biomass torrefaction that can replace coal to generate thermal energy and electricity. Areva also developed AdCub, a modular concept for compact power plants targeting small-scale biomass resources that addresses relatively untapped growth opportunities in Europe. The objective is to combine innovative solutions which optimize customer costs for small-scale power plants (between 3 and
1430364
Renewable energy in South Africa


power, concentrated solar power (CSP), biomass, photovoltaic systems exceeding 1 MW, hydropower not exceeding 30 MW as well as biomass systems are also incentivized through an accelerated depreciation with the following schedule: Solar energy is light and heat that is radiated from the Sun. It is then transformed into electricity through photovoltaics (PV) or concentrated solar power (CSP). Solar energy in South Africa is primarily based in PV and CSP. The levelized cost of solar electricity is relative to the quality and quantity of solar radiation
10030658
Biomass


present in this biomass are fermented to produce bioethanol, an alcohol fuel which serve as an additive to gasoline, or in a fuel cell to produce electricity. Second-generation biofuels utilize non-food-based biomass sources such as perennial energy crops (low input crops), and agricultural/municipal waste. There is huge potential for second generation biofuels but the resources are currently under-utilized. Thermal conversion processes use heat as the dominant mechanism to upgrade biomass into a better and more practical fuel. The basic alternatives are
16785222
Wind power in Texas


tidal energy, biomass, or biomass-based waste products, including landfill gas. Qualifying systems are those installed after September 1999. The RPS applies to all investor-owned utilities. Municipal and cooperative utilities may voluntarily elect to offer customer choice. The PUCT established a renewable-energy credit (REC) trading program that began in July 2001 and will continue through 2019. Under PUCT rules, one REC represents one megawatt-hour (MWh) of qualified renewable energy that is generated and metered in Texas. A capacity conversion
20668074
Solar power in the United States


's utilities to obtain 100 percent of their electricity from zero-carbon sources by the end of 2045 (including 60% renewable energy sources by 2030). A 1998 report by the United States Department of Energy found available domestic solar energy (including biomass) technically accessible regardless of cost amounted to 586,687 Quadrillion BTUs (Quads); 95% of this was biomass. Coal represented the second largest resource, a distant 38,147 Quads. Predictions of how much solar power was economically feasible to collect amounted to 352 quads, compared with
15804841
Biofuels by region


provides the majority of fuel for heat and cooking. Wood, animal dung and crop residues are commonly burned. Figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that biomass energy provides around 30% of the total primary energy supply in developing countries; over 2 billion people depend on biomass fuels as their primary energy source. The use of biomass fuels for cooking indoors is a source of health problems and pollution. 1.3 million deaths were attributed to the use of biomass fuels with inadequate ventilation by the International Energy Agency in its
17648871
Ontario electricity policy


carried out to address some of these concerns suggests that the adoption of sustainable management practices that aim at maintaining ecological functions of forest and agro-ecosystems may sustain biomass production without adverse impacts to the environment. The dual role of biomass as a substitute for fossil fuels and as a sink for atmospheric carbon is the main advantage for its use in energy generation. Bioenergy production from sustainable biomass sources is considered to be carbon neutral because CO emitted during combustion or natural degradation processes is captured by growing plants. Although biomass-based Integrated
4279499
Ecological pyramid


trophic level of an ecological community at a particular time. It is a graphical representation of biomass (total amount of living or organic matter in an ecosystem) present in unit area in different trophic levels. Typical units are grams per square meter, or calories per square meter. The pyramid of biomass may be "inverted". For example, in a pond ecosystem, the standing crop of phytoplankton, the major producers, at any given point will be lower than the mass of the heterotrophs, such as fish and insects
8722141
Renewable resource


energy is derived from six distinct energy sources: garbage, wood, plants, waste, landfill gases, and alcohol fuels. Historically, humans have harnessed biomass-derived energy since the advent of burning wood to make fire, and wood remains the largest biomass energy source today. However, low tech use of biomass, which still amounts for more than 10% of world energy needs may induce indoor air pollution in developing nations and results in between 1.5 million and 2 million deaths in 2000. The biomass used for electricity generation
1025704
Energy development


energy from geologically recent carbon fixation. These fuels are produced from living organisms. Examples of this carbon fixation occur in plants and microalgae. These fuels are made by a biomass conversion (biomass refers to recently living organisms, most often referring to plants or plant-derived materials). This biomass can be converted to convenient energy containing substances in three different ways: thermal conversion, chemical conversion, and biochemical conversion. This biomass conversion can result in fuel in solid, liquid, or gas form. This new biomass can be
4477882
World energy consumption


Until the beginning of the nineteenth century biomass was the predominant fuel, today it has only a small share of the overall energy supply. Electricity produced from biomass sources was estimated at 44 GW for 2005. Biomass electricity generation increased by over 100% in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. A further 220 GW was used for heating (in 2004), bringing the total energy consumed from biomass to around 264 GW. The use of biomass fires for cooking is excluded. World production of bioethanol increased
7505139
Landfill diversion


dioxide, water and biomass. Biomass consists of wood, crops, yard and animal waste. Biomass is considered a renewable energy because more can be grown in a short amount of time. Biomass contributes to roughly four percent of our energy. Biomass energy although its burned, does not pollute the air as much as fossil fuels. Some materials easily break down, others do not. The environment in which the material is placed determines the speed of breakdown. It is possible in many production facilities to return waste product to the
9115649
Hydrothermal carbonization


, but these would be added very quickly with the products and lose their function. As a result of the exothermic reaction of hydrothermal carbonization, about 3/8 of the calorific value of the biomass based on the dry mass is released (with a high lignin, resin and / or oil content at least 1/4). If the process is managed properly, it is possible to use this waste heat from wet biomass to produce dry biocoal and to use some of the converted energy for energy generation. In a large-scale technical
14578330
Biomass briquettes


sort of dried biomass. Arizona has also taken initiative to turn waste biomass into a source of energy. Waste cotton and pecan material used to provide a nesting ground for bugs that would destroy the new crops in the spring. To stop this problem farmers buried the biomass, which quickly led to soil degradation. These materials were discovered to be a very efficient source of energy and took care of issues that had plagued farms. The United States Department of Energy has financed several projects to test the viability of biomass briquettes on a
9519769
Termosolar Borges


night, energy production is complemented by the biomass burners, supplied mainly with forest and from biomass energy crops. Natural gas, is used only as residual resource of support. CSP-biomass hybrids have potential as an alternative to thermal energy storage in locations where full day power generation are required, and to ensure dispatchable energy supply for industrial processes and power generation. Hybridisation can reduce CST cost by making greater use of the turbine and generator component which is a large portion of a CST plant cost, and the use of biomass
7489573
Energy Sector Management Assistance Program


security, countries are looking closely at renewable energy, efficiency practices and technologies, diversification of supply, and improved sector performance. ESMAP assists its clients to carry out energy assessments and develop strategies to enhance sector planning, regulation, and governance. "Energy Access" About 1.4 billion of the world’s people still lack access to electricity, and poor households spend US$20 billion a year on low-quality, fuel-based lighting. Respiratory diseases are widespread among the 2.7 billion people who still rely on biomass for cooking,
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Lignocellulosic biomass


be harvested multiple times each year. These include poplar trees and "Miscanthus giganteus". The premier energy crop is sugarcane, which is a source of the readily fermentable sucrose and the lignocellulosic by-product bagasse. Lignocellulosic biomass is the feedstock for the pulp and paper industry. This energy-intensive industry focuses on the separation of the lignin and cellulosic fractions of the biomass. Lignocellulosic biomass, in the form of wood fuel, has a long history as a source of energy. Since the middle of the 20th century,
21731109
Renewable energy


biofuels are burned to produce heat/power and in doing so harm the environment. Pollutants such as sulphurous oxides (SO), nitrous oxides (NO), and particulate matter (PM) are produced from the combustion of biomass; the World Health Organisation estimates that 7 million premature deaths are caused each year by air pollution. Biomass combustion is a major contributor. Renewable energy production from some sources such as wind and solar is more variable and more geographically spread than technology based on fossil fuels and nuclear. While integrating it
6273102
Renewable energy in Mexico


power Wind energy, is the process of converting the naturally occurring wind into energy. This can be done by the use of wind turbines. In Mexico it is concentrated within five major regions. This allows for funding and manpower to be allocated to the most efficient positions within the country. Biomass Lastly the most common form of renewable energy in Mexico is biomass. Biomass is the fuel developed from organic materials. Due to the fact that this is the most common form, the most energy and time has been invested into it
18777498
Renewable energy in Africa


, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia. The use of biomass fuels endangers biodiversity and risks further damaged or destruction to the landscape. 86% of Africa’s biomass energy is used in the sub-Saharan region, excluding South Africa. Even where other forms of energy are available, it is not harnessed and utilized efficiently, underscoring the need to promote energy efficiency where energy access is available. There is, however, an urgent need to address the current levels of respiratory illness from burning biomass in the
3016304
Renewable energy in Lithuania


In 2016 Renewable energy in Lithuania constituted 27.9% of the country's overall electricity generation. Previously, the Lithuanian government aimed to generate 23% of total power from renewable resources by 2020, a goal was achieved in 2014 (23.9). Renewable energy in Lithuania by type: Biomass represents the most common source of renewable energy in Lithuania, with most of the biomass is use being firewood. The amount of energy generated from biomass in Lithuania is the second highest in the EU per capita. It is estimated that in 2020
5633456
Biofuel in Denmark


as something that also contributes to environmental issues has created strong links between its environmental and energy policies. Looking ahead, the challenges for Denmark include uncertainty in future energy demand and securing a reliable supply of biomass that is sustainably produced. Under the Renewable Energy Act from 2009, the Danish government plans to achieve a 20% share of biomass to its energy production by 2020. Biomass will also allow Denmark to have a spare energy capacity to guarantee a stable energy system. The Danish government set market incentives, such as feed-
4187385
Renewable energy in India


end of 2018. Biomass power from biomass combustion, biomass gasification and bagasse cogeneration reached 9.1 GW installed capacity as of 31 March 2019. Family type biogas plants reached 3.98 million . Renewable energy in India comes under the purview of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). India was the first country in the world to set up a ministry of non-conventional energy resources, in the early 1980s. Solar Energy Corporation of India is responsible for the development of solar energy industry in India. Hydroelectricity is administered separately
4719565
Refuse-derived fuel


the calorific value is important for green certificate programs such as the Renewable Obligation Certificate program. These programs award certificates based on the energy produced from biomass. Several research papers, including the one commissioned by the Renewable Energy Association in the UK, have been published that demonstrate how the carbon-14 result can be used to calculate the biomass calorific value. In 2009, in response to the Naples waste management issue in Campania, Italy, the Acerra incineration facility was completed at a cost of over €350 million. The incinerator burns 600,000
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Sustainable energy


way to dispose of this waste. As of 2012, wood remains the largest biomass energy source today. If biomass is harvested from crops, such as tree plantations, the cultivation of these crops can displace natural ecosystems, degrade soils, and consume water resources and synthetic fertilizers. In some cases, these impacts can actually result in higher overall carbon emissions compared to using petroleum-based fuels. Use of farmland for growing fuel can result in less land being available for growing food. Since photosynthesis is inherently inefficient, and crops
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Energy policy of Malaysia


. Numerous applications for the program have been received, mainly involving biomass, and of these over half are for palm oil waste. In 2005 there were 28 approved biomass projects involving the installation of 194 MW of grid-connected capacity. There were also four approved landfill gas-based projects, with 9 MW of capacity, and 18 a href="Small%20hydro"mini hydro-electric/a projects offering 69.9 MW of total capacity. Currently (2016), the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) of Malaysia is conducting a comprehensive onshore wind
596782
Alternative energy


can be regarded as "biological material" derived from living, or recently living organisms. It most often refers to plants or plant-derived materials which are specifically called lignocellulosic biomass. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly via combustion to produce heat, or indirectly after converting it to various forms of biofuel. Conversion of biomass to biofuel can be achieved by different methods which are broadly classified into: "thermal", "chemical", and "biochemical" methods. Wood remains the largest biomass energy
18588244
Altran Foundation for Innovation


as a source of renewable energy - patented and developed by Pro-Natura International. Biomass charcoal produces domestic energy from non-upgraded biomass, other than wood, in particular agricultural residues non-consumed by animals. By reducing the dependence on wood, biomass charcoal protects forests and as a consequence fights against desertification. Moreover, the energy produced by biomass charcoal is equal to that of wood charcoal for a sales price per kilo 50% cheaper. HiSPARC, a Dutch university research Institute, is proposing to challenge teams of secondary
3938580
Bio-energy with carbon capture and storage


content of biomass, it will affect the calorific value of the combustor. In addition, high volatile biomass would highly influence the reaction rate and the temperature of the reactor; especially, it may lead to the explosion of furnace. Instead of co-firing, full conversion from coal to biomass of one or more generating units in a plant may be preferred. Based on the current Kyoto Protocol agreement, carbon capture and storage projects are not applicable as an emission reduction tool to be used for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM
19148342
Torrefaction


large diversity of biomass with varying characteristics. To create highly efficient biomass-to-energy chains, torrefaction of biomass in combination with densification (pelletisation or briquetting) is a promising step to overcome logistic economics in large-scale sustainable energy solutions, i.e. make it easier to transport and store it. Pellets or briquets are lighter, drier, and more stable in storage than the biomass they derive from. Torrefaction is a thermochemical treatment of biomass at 200 to 320 °C (392 to 608ºF). It is carried out
3136311
Biofuel in Denmark


road transport. In agreement with the European Environment Agency Scientific Committee, Denmark considers environmental sustainability as a key component of its strategy to incorporate a greater share of biofuels into its national energy portfolio. As such, it does not consider biomass produced from existent forests as carbon neutral and it counts waste biomass as double towards its Renewable Energy Target, thus favoring biomass grown on marginal land or sourced from residues. This way, the country is able to ensure that it benefits from incorporating a larger share of biomass into its energy system
4187382
Renewable energy in India


and power applications..According to IREDA "Biomass is capable of supplementing the coal to the tune of about 260 million tonnes", "saving of about Rs. 250 billion, every year." It is estimated that the potential for biomass energy in India includes 16,000 MW from biomass energy and a further 3,500 MW from bagasse cogeneration. Biomass materials that can be used for power generation include bagasse, rice husk, straw, cotton stalk, coconut shells, soya husk, de-oiled cakes, coffee waste, jute wastes
4719584
Bioenergy Europe


Bioenergy Europe (formerly known as AEBIOM) is a European trade association open to national biomass associations and bioenergy companies active in Europe. It was founded in 1990 under the leadership of french senator with the aim to promote energy generation from biomass - in all its forms: biopower, bioheat or biofuels for transport. Bioenergy Europe is the umbrella organisation of the European Pellet Council (EPC), and the International Biomass Torrefaction Council (IBTC). Bioenergy Europe owns two international certifications for wood fuels. EN"plus"®, certifying wood
6427571
Renewable energy


This energy consumption is divided as 8.9% coming from traditional biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (modern biomass, geothermal and solar heat), 3.9% from hydroelectricity and the remaining 2.2% is electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and other forms of biomass. Worldwide investments in renewable technologies amounted to more than US$286 billion in 2015. Globally, there are an estimated 7.7 million jobs associated with the renewable energy industries, with solar photovoltaics being the largest renewable employer. Renewable energy systems are rapidly becoming more efficient
6273066
Peter Farrell (politician)


member for Altria, and co-producer and co-writer of "Field of Lost Shoes". He attended the Collegiate School and received a B.A. degree in government from the University of Virginia in 2006. He worked as a legislative assistant for Virginia Beach-based state Senator Ken Stolle. Farrell later joined Recast Energy, a Richmond-based company, founded in October 2010, that converts biomass to steam for industrial use. Farrell in business development. On August 12, 2011, the 56th district incumbent, Republican Bill
8294925
Energy in Nepal


Due to the high energy demand in the country, the dependence on petroleum imports is increasing. More than 62% of the petroleum products are used in the transportation sector. Besides that, petroleum products constitute important energy sources for cooking purposes in households. Biomass is by far the most important primary energy source in Nepal. Biomass comprises wood, agricultural residues and dung. About 95% of the biomass is used for cooking and heating purposes in households. Farming system in Nepal is heavily dependent on livestock, with at least 1.2
7168640
Biomass Thermal Energy Council


grants from the US Forest Service's Wood Education and Outreach Center to educate the public and stakeholder on the opportunities of biomass thermal energy in 2010 and 2011. Since 2011, BTEC has also conducted work to establish an efficiency standard for biomass thermal equipment, which was identified as one of the major obstacles to the growth of the renewable heating market by architects and engineers. BTEC is engaged in regional activities, such as the Northeast Biomass Thermal Working Group and Heating the Midwest. Since 2012, BTEC manages the Northeast Biomass Heating Expo
70155
Pellet fuel


papers studying the climate implications of biomass began to appear which refuted the simplistic assumption of its carbon neutrality. According to the Biomass Energy Resource Center, the assumption of carbon neutrality "has shifted to a recognition that the carbon implications of biomass depend on how the fuel is harvested, from what forest types, what kinds of forest management are applied, and how biomass is used over time and across the landscape.” In 2011 twelve prominent U.S. environmental organizations adopted policy setting a high bar for government incentives of biomass energy, including
7015912
Ontario electricity policy


organic matter from plants or animals that can be converted to energy. Bioenergy, in turn, is any form of energy (heat or electricity) generated from biomass. The development of a bioenergy industry in Ontario faces many challenges including, but not limited to, high costs owing to the small-scale nature of technologies used to convert biomass to energy and environmental issues (e.g., declining soil productivity and increased fertilizer and pesticides use) related to intensive harvesting of biomass for energy production. That said, research that has been
4279498
Renewable energy in Finland


However, district heat is largely produced by the same energy companies in centralised district heating plants or CHP plants. Locally there is usually only one district heat provider available, which means that the competition takes place between alternative heat sources. Biomass fuels and peat are commonly used for district heating. Some district heat is also sold in small scale by local entrepreneurs who produce it with biomass fuels. The government company for promoting energy efficiency, Motiva, has a program for promoting small scale heating entrepreneurship. In the Nordic electricity market,
7183161
Biodegradable plastic


PLA by NatureWorks has eliminated some dependence of fossil fuel-based energy by supplanting it with wind power and biomass-driven strategies. They report making a kilogram of PLA with only 27.2 MJ of fossil fuel-based energy and anticipate that this number will drop to 16.6 MJ/kg in their next generation plants. In contrast, polypropylene and high-density polyethylene require 85.9 and 73.7 MJ/kg, respectively, but these values include the embedded energy of the feedstock because it is based on fossil fuel. Gerngross reports a
21899210
Red Pyramid


Pyramid. The Red Pyramid was not always red. It used to be cased with white Tura limestone, but only a few of these stones now remain at the pyramid's base, at the corner. During the Middle Ages much of the white Tura limestone was taken for buildings in Cairo, revealing the red limestone beneath. The Red Pyramid was the third pyramid built by Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu, and is located approximately one kilometer to the north of the Bent Pyramid. It is built at the same shallow 43 degree angle
12551780
Global Clean Energy Holdings


Global Clean Energy Holdings (OTC:GCEH) is a Southern California-based renewable energy company focused on the production and commercialization of non-food based feedstocks used for the production of biofuels, biomass and renewable chemicals. In 2008, GCEH purchased approximately 5,000 acres of farmland in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. The farm is a joint venture with Stewart A. Resnick and Selim Zilkha, two highly accomplished entrepreneurs with successful agricultural & alternative energy companies. The company currently owns and manages two Jatropha farms in the Yucatán, the larger of
10297081
Food web


's energy or by capturing the sun's energy in photosynthesis, than they use during metabolic respiration. Heterotrophs consume rather than produce biomass energy as they metabolize, grow, and add to levels of secondary production. A food web depicts a collection of polyphagous heterotrophic consumers that network and cycle the flow of energy and nutrients from a productive base of self-feeding autotrophs. The base or basal species in a food web are those species without prey and can include autotrophs or saprophytic detritivores (i.e., the community of decomposers in soil
15455721
Bioenergy


fuel derived from biological sources. In its broader sense it includes biomass, the biological material used as a biofuel, as well as the social, economic, scientific and technical fields associated with using biological sources for energy. This is a common misconception, as bioenergy is the energy extracted from the biomass, as the biomass is the fuel and the bioenergy is the energy contained in the fuel There is a slight tendency for the word "bioenergy" to be favoured in Europe compared with "biofuel" in America. One of
13691775
Renewable energy in Vietnam


of solar power plants in the whole system to 95 plants. However, a large number of solar power plants in operation in the short term have been causing many difficulties and challenges for electrical system operation such as the reduction of wind power load, the additional queuing project while the grid is overloaded. As an agricultural country, Vietnam has great potential for biomass energy. The main types of biomass are: energy wood, waste (crop residues), livestock waste, municipal waste and other organic wastes. The biomass energy source
11453714
Renewable energy in Vietnam


can be used by burning directly, or forming a biomass fuel. Since the Prime Minister issued Decision 24/2014/QD-TTg on mechanisms to support the development of biomass power projects in Vietnam, many agricultural by-products has become an important source of materials, reused to create a large energy source. As in the sugarcane industry, the potential of biomass energy from bagasse is quite large. If utilizing and exploiting bagasse sources thoroughly and effectively, it will contribute considerable electricity output, contributing to ensuring national energy security. Some
11453715
Energy in Japan


locations to see if geothermal energy plants would be compatible. As of September 2011, Japan had 190 generators attached to municipal waste units and 70 independent plants using biomass fuel to produce energy. In addition, 14 other generators were used to burn both coal and biomass fuel. In 2008, Japan produced 322 million tons of biomass fuel and converted 76% of it into energy. In 2012, the government announced plans to build experimental tidal power and wave power plants in coastal areas. Construction on the projects, the locations for
12390293
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers


Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers," to signify the increasing binational cooperation. Since its inception, the Conference has led regional efforts to protect the environment and accelerate the region's economy. The initial focus of the organization was biomass energy. The organization administered the regional biomass energy program in coordination with the United States Department of Energy from 1983-2009. They received over $13 million in federal funding which was then provided as grants to the states geared toward biomass energy promotion. In the following years
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