Mean Green

Most of the cars in the world are run by internal combustion engines using gasoline or diesel fuels for propulsion. However, there is massive concern regarding the air pollution caused by the usage of such vehicles hence alternative fuel technologies are being looked into. Other factors that might lead to its decline are the increasing prices of oil-based products and stricter environmental laws. Global warming is finally being recognized as a global issue hence the emission of the greenhouse gases by these automobiles has to be looked into. Other than gasoline and diesel, petroleum products such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) are also used in some internal combustion engines.

Diesel was first used as a fuel in automobiles in the 1930s, introduced by Mercedes Benz and Citroen. Diesel has much higher fuel burn efficiency as compared to petrol. However, they require better filters to handle exhaust gases of fine soot particles which are called diesel particulate matter. Cars that run on gasoline are generally lighter and can work at higher rotational speeds. Sports cars are normally fitted with gasoline engines due to this reason. A catalytic converter may be used to clean up exhaust gases released. Biofuels are also used in some automobiles to increase octane, improve emissions or simply as an alternative to petroleum fuels. Ethanol is used popularly as fuel in Brazil; it caters to almost 20% of the automotive fuel need of the nation.

Electric cars and stream driven engines were produced way before gas powered engines. Steam powered engines could not run until the boiler pressure was available; additionally they tended to be very heavy so they never achieved mass popularity as a road vehicle. Initially, the electric cars had an advantage as they were silent as compared to the loud gas powered engines, a problem which was later rectified. However, there are many reasons which led to their downfall. The batteries of these cards needed to be recharged regularly so they were not fit to travel on for a long range. The extra weight these batteries occupied was another disadvantage. Henry Ford struck the greatest blow in their popularity by mass producing gas powered engines at affordable rates. In the 1950s there was some interest in gas turbine engines but no cars reached production due to high fuel consumption, delay in throttle response and a lack of engine braking. Cars which use compressed air like the Tata/MDI OneCAT Air Car are being developed as an alternative. There are several prototypes available. These cars either use solely air or air combined with diesel/ethanol/gasoline.

Rocket and jet cars are another alternative to the normal road automobiles. These cars are propelled by propulsive jets which are emitted from rocket, turbojet or turbofan engines. In 1997, the ThrustSSC used two turbofans with reheat and was able to go beyond the speed of sound at ground level. It is safe to say, however, these cars will probably never go into mass production for the general audience. The major asset of rocket and jet cars is their ability to reach great speeds.

For  the past year’s search for the Greenest Auto Maker, Honda made it as the best of the list as the corporation with the most earth friendly operation.  This is not the first from Honda and in fact this is not the first time it will be earning the accomplishment. As other competing corporations satisfy this course and labor attempt in promoting awareness of the current position of our world, one shouldn’t brush off the actuality that in the end, looking after for this planet relies upon completely in the hands of the million of consumers that patronize these lines. This tells us that pioneering with earth friendly products and alternatives from manufacturers are not the best response in keeping this world green. Affirmation have indicated that supposing a person’s part to pollution can be obtainably simple as compared to industrial complications and plants, multiplying this to the numberless of consumers and end users will undoubtedly put trust for the world in the hands of the person.

This brings the spot light to our household supposing it comes to acquiring the necessary steps in taking care of the environment.

Though, car companies have been working for ages in coming up with earth-friendly vehicles, we ought to accede our part in this matter.  Truly, when one thinks about it, there is so much that a person can do.  Mentioned below are groovy substitutes the we as consumers have in whipping out our cars more nature-friendly.  Options range from those that will only need some purchase to those that will necessitate tinkering with your car’s auto parts.

There is perhaps no better ways to tune your rides to a green bliss than to first recognize and exhaust available options.  You must determine what your mission are and the available resources in reaching or achieving this goal.  Looking for related information like how hybrids work or what the advantages of electric cars are will prove to be a wise endeavor.  Looking at information that tackles alternative fuel sources, their use, advantages and disadvantages is also another good thing to do.

Ever considered fuel alternatives?  At present it is not very hard to know what available alternates to gasoline or normal fossil fuel exist in the market.  It is not a surprise then if you have already been offered the use of organic sources of fuel or biofuel.  The diesel engine, if you own one, opens a lot of other options that will truly surprise you.  Biodiesel is one alternative to diesel that allows you to make your own fuel to run your car with. A query on biofuel on major search engines can already provide one with the necessary resources on making one’s own biofuel.

Ever heard of using waste fryer oil in running your car?  This is supposedly already working.  This option will require you to make major modifications for your ride but resources are already available to take you on the steps in doing this.  Imagine going to your local burger joint to gas up instead of the pumping stations.  Getting into this will definitely make our roads smell better with exhaust smelling like french fries or burgers.

Running on batteries is another option for hardcore earth lovers.  Hybrids or purely electric cars rely on batteries that one can charge from a normal electrical outlets.  For hybrids you can opt to run just on electricity When driving just around the city at moderate speeds. This is a cool option that can literally save one a lot of money.  The savings gained by sacrificing those fast and the furious moments will definitely pay off.  Add to that the feeling of making a difference for the environment and you will really be satisfied.  Not to mention the fact that you will surely be impressing your boss for being early at work.

Though still in its research phase, ultra capacitors are also now being improved to be able to power cars.  This is a very earth friendly and also a very efficient alternative. There truly are a lot of options that are already made available for motorists to make their cars more earth friendly.  Resources for these alternatives are already available.

racing car engines from the 1930s, and road cars from the late 1950s.[16] Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) is now starting to appear in production vehicles such as the 2007 (Mark II) BMW Mini. Exhaust gases are also cleaned up by fitting a catalytic converter into the exhaust system. Clean air legislation in many

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of the car industries most important markets has made both catalysts and fuel injection virtually universal fittings. Most modern gasoline engines also are capable of running with up to 15% ethanol mixed into the gasoline – older vehicles may have seals and hoses that can be harmed by ethanol. With a small amount of redesign, gasoline-powered vehicles can run on ethanol concentrations as high as 85%.

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100% ethanol is used in some parts of the world (such as Brazil), but vehicles must be started on pure gasoline and switched over to ethanol once the engine is running. Most gasoline engined cars can also run on LPG with the addition of an LPG tank for fuel storage and carburettor modifications to add an LPG mixer. LPG produces fewer toxic emissions and is a popular fuel for fork-lift trucks that have to operate inside buildings.

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The hydrogen powered FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle) was developed by Toyota in 2005 Biofuels Main articles: Biofuel, Ethanol fuel, and biogasoline

Ethanol, other alcohol fuels (biobutanol) and biogasoline have widespread use an automotive fuel. Most alcohols have less energy per liter than gasoline and are usually blended with gasoline. Alcohols are used for a variety of reasons – to increase octane, to improve emissions, and as an alternative to petroleum based fuel, since they can be made from agricultural crops. Brazil’s ethanol program provides about 20% of the nation’s automotive fuel needs, as a result of the mandatory use of E25 blend of gasoline throughout the country, 3 million cars that operate on pure ethanol, and 6 million dual or flexible-fuel vehicles sold since 2003.[17] that run on any mix of ethanol and gasoline. The commercial success of “flex” vehicles, as they are popularly known, have allowed sugarcane based ethanol fuel to achieve a 50% market share of the gasoline market by April 2008.[18][19][20]

Electric Main articles: Electric car, Hybrid vehicle, and Plug-in hybrid

The Henney Kilowatt, the first modern (transistor-controlled) electric car.

2007 Tesla electric powered Roadster

Tata/MDI OneCAT Air Car

A CNG powered high-floor Neoplan AN440A, run on Compressed Natural Gas

The first electric cars were built around 1832, well before internal combustion powered cars appeared.[21] For a period of time electrics were considered superior due to the silent nature of electric motors compared to the very loud noise of the gasoline engine. This advantage was removed with Hiram Percy Maxim’s invention of the muffler in 1897. Thereafter internal combustion powered cars had two critical advantages: 1) long range and 2) high specific energy (far lower weight of petrol fuel versus weight of batteries). The building of battery electric vehicles that could rival internal combustion models had to wait for the introduction of modern semiconductor controls and improved batteries. Because they can deliver a high torque at low revolutions electric cars do not require such a complex drive train and transmission as internal combustion powered cars. Some post-2000 electric car designs such as the Venturi Fétish are able to accelerate from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.0 seconds with a top speed around 130 mph (210 km/h). Others have a range of 250 miles (400 km) on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highway cycle requiring 3-1/2 hours to completely charge.[22] Equivalent fuel efficiency to internal combustion is not well defined but some press reports give it at around 135 miles per US gallon (1.74 L/100 km; 162 mpg-imp).

Steam Main article: steam car

Steam power, usually using an oil- or gas-heated boiler, was also in use until the 1930s but had the major disadvantage of being unable to power the car until boiler pressure was available (although the newer models could achieve this in well under a minute). It has the advantage of being able to produce very low emissions as the combustion process can be carefully controlled. Its disadvantages include poor heat efficiency and extensive requirements for electric auxiliaries.[23].

Air Main article: Compressed-air car

A compressed air car is an alternative fuel car that uses a motor powered by compressed air. The car can be powered solely by air, or by air combined (as in a hybrid electric vehicle) with gasoline/diesel/ethanol or electric plant and regenerative braking. Instead of mixing fuel with air and burning it to drive pistons with hot expanding gases; compressed air cars use the expansion of compressed air to drive their pistons. Several prototypes are available already and scheduled for worldwide sale by the end of 2008, though this has not happened as of January 2009. Companies releasing this type of car include Tata Motors and Motor Development International (MDI).

The Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), formerly and still commonly known as Fuel Duty Rebate (FDR), is something those that operate local bus services are able to claim. There are however a number of requirements that have to be met that will qualify an operator for the bus service operators grant according to Section 19 of the Transport Act of 1985.

 

Aside from holding a Section 19 permit, eligible operators should provide evidence that they are operated by non-profit business entities and prove that they provide service to:

 



Individuals at least 60 years of age

Disabled individuals

Individuals on income support

Individuals on job seeker’s allowance

Persons influenced by social exclusion whether by poverty, cultural principles, religious inclinations or health issues

Individuals assisting any of the aforementioned



 

 

There were however a number of amendments to the  Bus Service Operators Grant in 2004(England and Wales). These stipulated that the criteria for the qualification of the Bus Service Operators Grant now included that at least half of the spaces available on the bus should be available to members of the general public. This amendment also takes the stops into account in the sense that they should be marked and located for public convenience.

 

In cases where stops are not clearly designated, the public should be able to disembark at locations of their choice on a regular basis. In addition, the service should provide passengers with the ability to make a single journey between two locations and he fee thereof should remain reasonable. The Payment of the aforementioned fee should also be at a location and during a time which is of convenience to the passengers. Finally, those applicants for the Bus Service Operators Grant should expressly aim to include all groups within society and supply sufficient public information regarding operating times and stop locations.

 

According to Internet sources there are additional rebate benefits for certain members of the Bus Service Operators Grant. These specify that should the bus service be making use of biofuel, then the rebate will amount to 100 percent of the fuel duty. This is contrasted to those within the Bus Service Operators Grant community that receive an 80 percent rebate as they are making use of conventional fuels.

 

So, to sum it all up, you are eligible for the Bus Service Operators Grant if you provide at least 50 percent of the seating (or standing areas) on your bus to the general public in a specific geographical area which has a certain number of well marked stops at a reasonable price. Showing consideration to disadvantaged and aged individuals with regard to the fee of their travel will also count toward your eligibility. The initiative of the government seems set to focus on combining the Bus Service Operators Grant objective with environment friendliness as well as the specific service provider’s performance.

 

For more information on the Bus Service Operators Grant as well as the original publications, visit The Department For Transport website

 

 

As the new millennium begins, people have never been so eco-conscious. In recent years, the imminent threat of global warming has compelled us to re-consider how we do and make things. This is most especially true when it comes to our daily means of transport — the car — which unfortunately, ranks among the major contributors of air pollution (and noise pollution) in the world. Thankfully, scientists are continuing to explore new ways to address this. One of these is the use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV).

An AFV is any vehicle that doesn’t run on petrol or diesel fuel, although a car can be considered an AFV if it doesn’t rely exclusively on petroleum to function (like hybrid cars, which rely on petrol fuel and electricity). What are the different kinds of AFV? Let’s find out.

Hybrids. Hybrids use both gasoline and electricity to run. These vehicles normally feature an internal combustion engine and a battery pack which combine to give the vehicle its propulsion power. Hybrid cars have gained popularity over the years — the most common examples are the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight.

Battery Electric Vehicles. As its name applies, a BEV depends on the power of its battery pack. BEVs are among the cleanest vehicles because they don’t produce any carbon emission at all. Battery types may include nickel cadmium, lithium-ion, zinc-air or lead-acid batteries.

Biofuel Cars. Bioalcohol (or Ethanol) and Biodiesel are two types of biofuels that can be used on automobiles. There are still biofuel cars available today but most prefer the flexible-fuel vehicle.

Flexible-fuel Vehicles. With FFVs, you can use more than one type of alternative fuel. This is possible through the use of a multifuel engine which allows you to mix certain alternative fuels in the tank and is combusted as one. These cars are mostly found in the US and South America.

“Gas”-Powered Cars. Certain types of AFVs also run using compressed natural gas, biogas, liquid petroleum gas (or autogas), nitrogen gas, propane and hydrogen. Usually, these cars are your standard petroleum-using vehicles whose engines are modified to burn the alternative gaseous fuels.

The Solar Car. Solar cars use solar panels in order to harness the power of the sun. This type of AFV has been around for decades but unfortunately, no practical prototype has been developed yet for the masses. Nevertheless, countless solar car contests and races are being held every year and participated in by schools and universities all over the world.

AFVs may be environment-friendly but it has its disadvantages, too. AFVs are still a bit more expensive than the usual cars in the market and the availability of alternative fuels is still very limited. But still, the future promises more developments, new possibilities. Who knows? The first commercially-successful AFV may just be around the corner.

It appears as though the crusade to determine the best alternative energy sources are seriously being looked into by lots of countries including most American cities. One validation is the signing of the Kyoto Treaty. The primary purpose of the concerned group and individuals is to decrease the greenhouse gases and pollutants.

These renewable energy sources have demonstrated to be of great aid in cutting down the amount of toxins, which are by-products of the consumption of energy. These sources also preserve most of the natural resources that people use as resources of energy. For example, after a solar panel converts the sun’s rays into energy, the sun will still shine for someone else to use. What are the most popular sources of renewable energy? Here’s a list to give you some basic information:

1. Solar Energy – Harnessing the sun’s powerful energy is definitely not something new. Capturing the radiant light and heat from the sun has been practiced since ancient times. Since the rapid evolution of technology, we are now able to trap the sun’s rays into solar cells. Since the 1950’s solar cell technology has been advancing and has come quite a long way. The process turns the heat coming from the sun into electricity. Photovoltaic cells mounted on rooftops are used to heat water using the sun’s rays. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, ready for use. But you don’t need all these scientific processes to be able to benefit from solar power. All you really have to do is open the windows and blinds on a nice sunny day to let the sunshine in.

To date, the main disadvantage of using this source is that it is limited. You cannot use it obviously on nighttime and during days when it is raining or even on cloudy days. This has been acted upon through solar power stations. But these are too expensive so there aren’t too many of these stations around the globe.

2. Wind Energy – Another ancient source of power, wind energy has been harnessed by sailors, farmers and architects for many years, even documented as far back as 5,000 years ago. The energy coming from the wind supercharges the blades of the wind turbines. As this happens, electricity is produced through the use of an electrical generator. In the old days, windmills were created so that mechanical machinery could perform physical labor. This includes the pumping of water and crushing of grains that were essential in planting and farming.

Now there are large scale wind farms that produce electrical currents. The end products are then distributed to national electrical grids and small turbines owned by individuals to distribute electricity to far flung areas and homes. There are many advantages of this kind of power. The main one, of course, is that this doesn’t produce any by-products that can be harmful to the environment. And we will never run out of this source of renewable energy. One of the main disadvantages of wind power is that it’s never a constant speed or direction, so wind turbines have to be able to move with the direction of the wind.

3. Geothermal – Geothermal energy is energy obtained by tapping heat from the earth itself. Holes are drilled in certain regions, and the magma and radioactive decay that can be found underneath produce steam. This steam is purified and used to drive turbines. These turbines then become the power source for electric generators.

The downside to geothermal energy is the fact that it is expensive to build, and to ensure that no harmful by-products are going to be produced in the process, geothermal plants must be created accordingly. On the other hand, because the earth’s crust continuously decays replenishing the heat, it is still a renewable source of energy.

4. Hydroelectricity – The use of hydroelectric power or even hydroelectricity dates back to Ancient Greece and China where they installed waterwheels in rapidly flowing rivers to turn millstones and other equipment. Hydroelectric plants today still use the same basic principles as the historical waterwheel, but with some variations. The difference is that we use the force of the water to push the turbine which in turn powers a generator thus generating electricity. The idea here is to make use of the kinetic energy of water. To make sure that there is a steady flow of power being produced, a dam has to be built to retain the water. If there is a need for more power, the gates of the dam are opened so water can be released.

There are issues with the use of hydroelectricity. Some claim that it poses a problem for fish and aquatic plants on both sides of the dam. Because the flow of water has been altered, the nutrient rich silt which helps crops grow could be affected.

5. Bio-Fuels – Bio-fuels are also a green energy source. They have been around for a very long time however just lately, people are beginning to take notice.During photosynthesis, plants grow and produce biomass. Also known as bio matter, biomass can be used directly as fuel or to produce bio-fuels. Agriculturally produced biomass fuels, such as bio-diesel, ethanol can be burned in internal combustion engines or boilers. Typically bio-fuel is burned to release its stored chemical energy. Liquid bio-fuel which is the one used in cars is a natural and renewable domestic fuel that can only be used for diesel engines. This can be made from vegetable oils mostly soy and corn. In fact diesel engines were originally created to run on vegetable oil! The nice thing about bio-fuels is that they contains no petroleum, and they are nontoxic and biodegradable.

By fueling up with bio-fuel, you decrease the pollutants in the air because it does not emit anything. Right now, it is the only fuel approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), passed every Heath-Effects Test of the Clean Air Act and meets the requirements of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Just by reading through the available alternative energy sources, you will be amazed at how nature works wonders. It is our responsibility to care for the environment around us and keep it clean for generations ahead of us.

Obama & Alternative Energy Sources

It will take several years to approve and fully implement comprehensive new alternative energy policies, however the Obama administration promises a new era of energy and environment policy for the United States. Obama expressed his intention to shift the U.S. away from petroleum as its primary energy source and towards alternative renewable energy sources, advanced biofuels and efficient, low greenhouse-gas-emitting technologies.

The key policy initiatives involve caps on emissions such as carbon dioxide and auctioning of greenhouse gas credits to motivate a fundamental shift from high emitting industries to low-carbon energy alternatives. Obama has stated that the policy would be broader than any other cap and trade system proposed or in place to date in the world.

In order to implement the policy, renewable energy, natural gas, plug-in hybrid vehicles and advanced electricity transmission are expected to receive substantial incentives. Obama has proposed drawing upon $150 billion from the emissions auction to finance low-carbon alternatives over the next several years.

Oil Companies, Windfall Profits Tax & Offshore Drilling

The process of reducing emissions would start by targeting the fossil fuel industry. Oil companies are concerned about policies such as windfall profits taxes. Oil industry proponents state that oil companies need to gain access to areas closer to the coastline. Obama has already altered his policy regarding offshore oil and gas drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf due to the recent spike in oil and gas prices.

However, Obama has stated that he disfavors extensive new domestic petroleum drilling. The Democratic-led Congress could reinstate portions of the moratorium on offshore drilling that expired in September 2008. To the extent that oil prices have dropped recently, there may be less political opposition to imposing new restrictions.

Renewable Energy Initiative

President Obama Alternative Renewable Fuels

It is likely that greenhouse gas-climate change legislation will be introduced in the near term. A renewable energy initiative will be central to reduce human impact on global warming. The president elect has stated goals of reductions of 25% by 2025 and 10% reduction in the near term.

Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) are state policies requiring an individual state to generate a percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Each state has a choice of how to fulfill this mandate using a combination of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal or other renewable sources. Some RPS specify the technology combination, whereas others permit the market to drive the choices. This is preferable because each state has different renewable resources. For instance, Arizona has substantial solar resources compared to many other states and North Dakota has greater wind resources than many other states.

Several wind turbine companies have sought a federal renewable portfolio standard. These wind turbine manufacturers and solar firms will benefit substantially under a renewable portfolio standard.

Democratic leaders have stated that incentives to the renewable industry will generate substantial business and employment to help the U.S. recover from its current economic crisis. In the long term, the federal government will spend federal money to pay for carbon capture and sequestration technology.

Coal Industry and Clean Coal

The coal-fired power generators are the largest greenhouse gas emitters. The investment climate will be much more difficult under stricter environmental regulations. The coal industry is concerned that the focus on stringent greenhouse gas laws will severely curtail their industry. The fear is that the climate change policy would destroy the U.S. coal industry that has been a pillar of energy generation for many years.

The cap and trade legislation will motivate carbon capture and sequestration for coal-fired power plants. There is a basic risk that, absent such technology, new construction of traditional coal-fired power plants would not be possible. One critical problem is that long term predictions about submarine or underground sequestration or storage tightness are difficult and uncertain. The CO2 could leak from the storage and ultimately appear in the atmosphere.

Clean coal is an umbrella term used in the promotion of the use of coal as an energy source by focusing upon new methods to reduce its environmental impact. These efforts include chemically washing minerals and impurities from the coal, gasification, treating the flue gases with steam to remove sulfur dioxide and carbon capture technologies to capture the carbon dioxide from the flue gas. These methods and the technology used are described as clean coal technology. The coal industry and its supporters use the term clean coal to describe technologies designed to enhance the efficiency and the environmental tolerability of coal extraction, preparation and use, with no specific limits on any emissions, particularly carbon dioxide.

Some experts have estimated that commercial-scale clean-coal power stations (coal-burning power stations with carbon capture and sequestration) will not be commercially viable and widely adopted before 2020 or 2025. This time frame is of great concern to environmentalists because there is an urgent need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

A fundamental question is how the federal government will move the U.S. from petroleum and coal use without slowing the economy. Although Obama has mentioned that the transition to a low carbon economy will create up to 5 million jobs, he has not offered details.

Low carbon energy will in all likelihood increase manufacturing, transportation, and material costs because of higher energy prices and place U.S. goods and services at a competitive disadvantage compared to economies that lack these emission standards, including China, India, Russia and South American and Middle Eastern countries. Moreover, it appears unlikely that our government has the capacity to enact expensive climate change policies during this period of severe economic downturn and the need to focus on recovery from the U.S. recession.

Next Generation Fuels

To the extent that oil and coal industries will have a reduced portion of energy production, it is anticipated that a combination of biofuels, natural gas and nuclear industries could experience rapid growth.

In the biofuels segment, next-generation fuels such as cellulose and algae-based ethanol and biodiesel will be advanced under the new energy and environment policies.

One Biosphere  http://www.onebiosphere.com

The oil crisis and world overdependence on fossil fuels have paved the way for new developments in alternative energy sources. One of these alternative sources is biomass, which certainly has the potential of being considered a good substitute for fossil fuel. Seeds of fortune are often planted in the throes of a crisis. Biomass may just be that seed of fortune you are looking for.

Biomass is a natural and renewable energy source that is derived from recently dead biological matter and is used as a biofuel. It usually comes from plants, but it also comes from animal matter and other agricultural biodegradable waste. Examples of plants that can be used as biomass are corn, sugar cane, wheat, and switchgrass. Waste matter from plants like coconut husks, rice hulls, and bagasse (waste from sugar cane) are also examples of biomass. However, biomass excludes organic material which has been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum. In general, biomass can be used in either raw form or some sort of modified, blended form.

Biomass works like this. It is burned to produce heat that makes hot water, which then produces steam that can power turbines. Since biomass is also carbon-based like traditional fossil fuel, it has a comparable burning rate that makes it suitable as an energy source for small-scale power generation. But unlike fossil fuels, biomass absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during its growing lifetime. After its life, the carbon in biomass recycles to the atmosphere as a mixture of CO2 and methane (CH4), depending on the ultimate fate of the biomass material. CH4 converts to CO2 in the atmosphere, completing the cycle. In contrast to biomass carbon, the carbon in fossil fuels is locked away in geological storage forever, unless extracted.

Biomass has become a popular alternative source of energy in farming areas and other areas where there is a huge amount of agricultural waste. Farmers have used biomass to power their equipment and for post-harvest processing of agricultural crops.

As an energy source, biomass has many applications depending on the type of material used, the location, and the processing that it has to undergo to make it usable. The simplest biomass application is agricultural fertilizers. Biomass materials can also be used for fiber or building material. Further chemical processing, such as hydrogenation, can produce a biomass that makes it a suitable fuel source. Biomass is also sometimes used for space heating applications.

Biomass is also scalable. Already there are biomass power plants operating with 11,000 megawatts (MW) installed capacity, representing the second largest amount of renewable energy in the United States, next to geothermal energy. These power plants burn wood and agricultural wood wastes. Aside from burning the biomass to produce heat, gases like methane can also be extracted, which can then be used as fuel for generators, turbines, and fuel cells.

Some environmentalists argue that biomass is part of the carbon cycle and as such emits greenhouse gases that contribute to global warning. That said, biomass emits 50% less than emissions from burning fossil fuel. Furthermore, the disadvantage of having carbon dioxide emission can be offset by the fact that biomass is often sourced from recycled waste materials, therefore significantly reducing solid waste. This helps to classify it as an efficient and cost-effective energy source.

In addition to this environmental concern, biomass raises another critical issue in the food vs. fuel debate. Some argue that using biomass for energy instead of using it as an edible food is unconscionable. This argument has been magnified by the more recent oil and food price crises, where critics point out that biomass could have helped create or at least magnify the rising cost of food staples. However, some studies suggest the amount of crops that go to biofuel production may not be significant enough to tip the food demand.

While the conversion to biomass fuels is probably inevitable, some are concerned about how the conversion will take place: The timing and cost of the conversion is still not clear. Also total direct and indirect costs and what groups benefit and which groups suffer are major concerns. With congressional leadership favoring an acceleration of greener energy in a way that benefits their constituents and lobbyists, the conversion to biomass will create winners and losers.

What the biomass discussion is pointing to is the urgency for industries to begin planning NOW for the inevitability of a greener world. Will you be prepared?