Archive for October, 2009

Evergreen Solar Panel ES190

Evergreen Solar panels 190 Watt modules are designed to deliver the best performance and dependability from Evergreen Solars patented String Ribbon technology. These modules have one of the tightest power tolerances in the industry. PV modules produced by Evergreen Solar are distinctive in their appearance because they incorporate proprietary crystalline silicon technology known as String Ribbon. In the String Ribbon technique, two high-temperature strings are pulled vertically through a shallow silicon melt, and the molten silicon spans and freezes between the strings. The process is continuous: long strings are unwound from spools; the melt is replenished; and the silicon ribbon is cut to length for further processing, without interrupting growth. This new higher power series of modules from Evergreen is optimized for grid-tie systems. Evergreen modules utilize two parallel strings of 54 cells in series. They can be used for battery charging with an MPPT charge controller such as the OutBack MX-60, Apollo T-80 or the BlueSky series of charge controllers. Use up to 3 modules in series with the MX-60 or T-80 charge controller. They have Multi-Contact cables. Evergreen modules are UL, cUL and CEC listed and have a 25-year power output warranty. Modules are made in either USA or Germany. Evergreen Solar Panel ES190 Features Maximum power up to 4% above rated, minimum only 2% below rated Anti-reflection cover glass delivers more energy Backed by a 25-year limited power warranty; 2-year workmanship warranty A rigid, double-walled, deep frame with integrated water drainage holes Crimped frame corners no screws to loosen Sealed junction box never needs field maintenance UL, cUL and CEC listed Leading Environmental Credentials Energy payback time up to 40% faster than leading crystalline technologies Low carbon dioxide emissions in the manufacturing process up to to 33% less than other leading crystalline technologies Low lead use of lead-free solder for all solar cell

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Evergreen Solar Panel ES190

Evergreen Solar panels 190 Watt modules are designed to deliver the best performance and dependability from Evergreen Solars patented String Ribbon technology. These modules have one of the tightest power tolerances in the industry. PV modules produced by Evergreen Solar are distinctive in their appearance because they incorporate proprietary crystalline silicon technology known as String Ribbon. In the String Ribbon technique, two high-temperature strings are pulled vertically through a shallow silicon melt, and the molten silicon spans and freezes between the strings. The process is continuous: long strings are unwound from spools; the melt is replenished; and the silicon ribbon is cut to length for further processing, without interrupting growth. This new higher power series of modules from Evergreen is optimized for grid-tie systems. Evergreen modules utilize two parallel strings of 54 cells in series. They can be used for battery charging with an MPPT charge controller such as the OutBack MX-60, Apollo T-80 or the BlueSky series of charge controllers. Use up to 3 modules in series with the MX-60 or T-80 charge controller. They have Multi-Contact cables. Evergreen modules are UL, cUL and CEC listed and have a 25-year power output warranty. Modules are made in either USA or Germany. Evergreen Solar Panel ES190 Features Maximum power up to 4% above rated, minimum only 2% below rated Anti-reflection cover glass delivers more energy Backed by a 25-year limited power warranty; 2-year workmanship warranty A rigid, double-walled, deep frame with integrated water drainage holes Crimped frame corners no screws to loosen Sealed junction box never needs field maintenance UL, cUL and CEC listed Leading Environmental Credentials Energy payback time up to 40% faster than leading crystalline technologies Low carbon dioxide emissions in the manufacturing process up to to 33% less than other leading crystalline technologies Low lead use of lead-free solder for all solar cell

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Dog With Lantern Solar Light

  Generic Dog With Lantern Solar Light (5007C) [SW5007C] Features Solar powered No Wiring Powered by the sun Fast and easy to install Energy saving Recharged by solar panels under sunlight Light turns on automatically when dark Super bright LED for brighter light output Rechargeable Ni-Cd AA battery (included) Safe water resistant CE certified LED bulb never burns out Up to 10 hours of light when dark Corrosion resistant LEDs can last up to 100,000 hours Batteries are rechargeable and should last for approximately 2 years before replacing Ideal for areas where conventional electrial supply is not available Product size approx 15 (H) X 9 (W) X 11 (L)

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Dog With Lantern Solar Light

  Generic Dog With Lantern Solar Light (5007C) [SW5007C] Features Solar powered No Wiring Powered by the sun Fast and easy to install Energy saving Recharged by solar panels under sunlight Light turns on automatically when dark Super bright LED for brighter light output Rechargeable Ni-Cd AA battery (included) Safe water resistant CE certified LED bulb never burns out Up to 10 hours of light when dark Corrosion resistant LEDs can last up to 100,000 hours Batteries are rechargeable and should last for approximately 2 years before replacing Ideal for areas where conventional electrial supply is not available Product size approx 15 (H) X 9 (W) X 11 (L)

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Here’s our essential guide to skiing and snowboarding the green way

Skiing and snowboarding are not the obvious choice for an eco-friendly traveller. After all, air flights, luxury spas and hacking your way through the pristine snow are a far cry from a tree-planting camp in Devon.

But it doesn’t have to be like that - winter sport is about enjoying the great outdoors, so we’ve looked at some of the best ways to respect it too. Here’s our advice on how to get there, where to stay and what kit you should bring with you. 

Take the snow train

If you’re looking for a greener way to the slopes than flying and are tired of the inconvenience of flight delays, then travelling by train could be for you. Thousands of skiers and boarders choose to make their journey to the heart of the slopes this way every season.

Rail Europe’s Snow Trainis an overnight sleeper service from London St Pancras and Ebbsfleet International, Kent, to a number of skiing destinations in the French Alps. There is a specially designated sound-proofed disco carriage, so you can party all night, or if you’d rather save your energy for the slopes, there is comfortable, flat-bed sleeping accommodation.

In many cases, ski train journeys are similar in length to flying. Remember, by train there’s no two-hour check-in time, fewer delays and (on most trains) no long transfers to your resort.

Plus, most independent research says that travelling to the slopes by train produces a relatively small carbon footprint compared to flying or going by car.

It’s worth remembering though that you need to change platforms at Paris before travelling onto the stations at Chambery, Albertville, Moutiers, Aime la Plagne, Landry and Bourg St Maurice.

The Snow Train can also be more convenient if you’re taking your own gear, as there is no charge for carrying your skis or boards in their ski locker. You arrive early Saturday morning and depart last thing the following Saturday, so you get maximum time on the slopes.

Eco-friendly coach travel

Coach travel to the Alps is a long-haul option but it is also great value. National Express’s Eurolines service runs from London Victoria to nine resorts in both France and Switzerland, and there is no charge for skis and snowboards.

The journey takes approximately 18 hours and most coaches leave in the afternoon and arrive early next morning. Reclining seats means you should get a decent night’s sleep and there’s usually a film to watch in the evening.

Greener accommodation

Finding a good value eco-friendly hotel or chalet can feel like an uphill struggle, as they are few and far between. But if you look hard, you can find wood fires, solar panels, and composting heaps among the hot-tubs, spas and gyms.

If it’s composting toilets you’re after you may well be out of luck, but lots of companies are increasingly looking out to protect the environment that their holidaymakers enjoy. Here are some of our favourites…

Whitepod

This unique Swiss eco-camp located above Les Cerniers, a small village at the foot of Dents du Midi, features five wood-fire heated domes around a 19th-century chalet. The igloo-shaped pods are each made from weatherproofed cotton stretched over a storm-proof steel frame, which should keep you snug and warm.

Inside, the pods are lit by petrol lamps and are furnished with recycled or sustainably made furniture. You can only get there on skis or snowshoes and your luggage is delivered via snowmobile, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking to get away from the crowds.

If you don’t want to ski or snowboard you can always go snowshoeing, dog-sledding, relax in the hot tub or try the star-gazing platform with telescope. If you have children, the site also offers an Eco Kids Camp from July to August, which includes wildlife observation, local farm visits, organic picnics and evening games.Winner of the Responsible Tourism Awards 2005 for innovation.

From 325 euros per night including coffee and afternoon tea.

For more information:Whitepod

Whitepod is renovating the camp to cut its footprint and ensure that the level of service remains high. As a result, it will not be open for this coming winter 08/09. However, their mountain refuge, which sleeps up to 60 guests, is open from 1 December 2008.

Green Rides - Challet Montperron

This luxurious 18th century eco-chalet is based just outside Bourg St Maurice. With five large double bedrooms, it includes all the usual chalet amenities such as wi-fi and cable as well an open log fire, spa area and a wood pellet-fired hot tub.

The electricity is sourced from wind and solar farms in northern France. All food waste is composted, the rubbish is recycled and energy efficient light bulbs are used throughout the property. The owners are also planning to install a solar panelled roof and offer a discount to customers who take the Snow Train.A week typically cost from £385 per person.

Green Rides

Karibuni - Lodge Aravis

This 100 year old catered chalet is set in the Aravis Mountains near La Clusaz and sleeps 35 people. It has a gym, sauna and massage room as well as a children’s area and an onsite ski hire shop.France can be hard for veggies but Lodge Aravis has been accredited by the Vegetarian Society, soust ask for their vegetarian menu. All waste is either composted or recycled and they aim to source as much fair trade, local, and free range produce as possible. The chalet also offsets its carbon emissions through Climate Care.

The people behind Lodge Aravis also run a number of other smaller chalets, including Chalet Aravis which can sleep up to 11 people and uses solar panels to heat all of its water.
From £580pp a week (including a lift pass for seven days of skiing).

Location: Aravis Mountain, French Alps. For more information: Karibuni

Green shopping for snow gear

When it comes to being green on the slopes, skis, snowboards and winter gear can pose a problem. Nearly all of them are made of a combination of wood, fibreglass, foam, plastic and steel, which are stuck together by epoxy resin, and are nearly impossible to recycle.

However, many manufacturers are taking green steps, from carbon offsetting to using sustainable materials, such as bamboo, and even solar-powered factories.

New Zealand company Kingswood Skis won a product sustainability award for their bamboo-core carbon neutral skis. They are also looking into a flax alternative to fibreglass which is used in almost every ski and board made today. And they provide a clear breakdown of all the materials used in their products on their website.

Arbor makes its snowboard’s cores from renewable, fast-growing bamboo, which has come from sustainably managed forests and the bases are made with leftover poly-ethylene. They have pledged to donate a portion of all their revenue to organisations involved in protecting the environment. Also, its factory’s machines are wind-powered.
Don’t forget the eco-benefits of buying secondhand gear or renting ski or snow equipment. Freecycle and Ebay are just a couple of online places you could try. 

Take a look at our shop now for the best eco friendly shopping.

Green Rewards
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/green-snow-holidays-from-bbc-green-745771.html

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) are in for hot job prospects and cool wages. Also known as climate control, those who are trained to perform maintenance, repair and install HVAC systems will see an increase in employment faster than average for other occupations. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), through the year 2014.

What is a Typical HVAC Job Like?

An HVAC mechanic must be skilled in many aspects. Hospitals, schools, office buildings, malls, and apartment buildings have very complicated climate systems in place that can only be cared for by highly skilled and trained professionals. Most of the time after graduating from a HVAC program, you can usually choose a job that focuses on either installation or maintenance and repair. There are other areas of expertise in HVAC involving hydraulics (water-based heating systems), solar panels, or commercial refrigeration.

HVAC mechanics and installers are skilled in using high-powered tools like metal snips, electric drills, pipe cutters and benders, measurement gauges, and acetylene torches, which assist in the repair of refrigerant lines and air ducts. During training, you’ll also get familiar with reading things like voltmeters, pressure gauges, manometers, and other testing devices that monitor airflow, refrigerant pressure, electrical circuits, burners, and other components.

Learning the HVAC Ropes

The objective of the Refrigeration School, Inc. is to train and prepare students for entry level positions. A student is required to complete each phase of training with a proven degree of competency and, upon successful completion of the course; the student will have the necessary skills to enter these fields. Students study theory, design, equipment construction, electronics, as well as the basics of installation, maintenance, and repair. It is understood that to become an expert in any field requires dedication, hard work, and continued schooling, and most certainly having or acquiring the proper attitude, drive and motivation.

While HVAC mechanics of years past might have learned on the job, as equipment becomes more efficient and the industry adopts more energy saving devices most employers expect you to have completed HVAC training. The Refrigeration School, Inc. is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, and complies with all local, state, and federal regulations. RSI is licensed to operate by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education and is a Member of the Arizona Private School Association.

Phil Laboon
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/job-demand-high-for-qualified-hvac-recruits-92303.html

Time management is an old school paradigm. Energy management is the new way of the entrepreneurial activist.
Energy management has nothing to do with trying to manage petroleum, coal, electricity, solar or wind power. Energy management is the foundational approach entrepreneurs must learn, understand and cultivate within themselves, their staff and their products and services. Entrepreneurs who do not embrace energy management will soon be, Going Out of Business.
Time management has little to do with the challenges entrepreneurs face today.
Time cannot be managed. People cannot be managed. Leaders lead. Managers manage. Leaders lead people. Managers manage things. Time is not a thing. People are not things. Time is not people. People are not time. Entrepreneurs who think they can manage people are in for a rude awakening! How does the hollow sound of, Going Out of Business, resonate? People are energy. Energy is the fuel which powers employees, customers, products and services either toward or away The entrepreneur who is insightful enough to manage and balance high-quality energy levels will be leaving his or her competition in the dust.
Time is needed to cultivate and manage the high-quality energy levels customers are starving for. Toxic energy will drive employees and customers away. This comes with a guarantee. Look around Does this ring true? Are employees and customers taking their business elsewhere? We begin hearing excuses coming from toxic energy types who blame the economy, the housing market, or fuel prices for what is happening. This blame is the beginning of a slow death for many entrepreneurial ventures. Those who stop trying to manage time, but instead, begin managing energy will discover untapped markets. Enlightened energy managers provide opportunity for all stakeholders. Energy managers must be authentic, however. Employees and customers are not as stupid as some entrepreneurs may think. High-quality, balanced energy cascades from the being of the awakened entrepreneur. Toxic energy also cascades from the being of the greed-centered entrepreneur. Profits are more important than ever! Still, it is the energy behind the profits that fuel and separate the authentic from the unauthentic.
Time management and the wilted concepts of managing people are over. The future is now! Energy management is now! If you want to become the awakened, highly successful entrepreneur, begin by cultivating and managing high-quality, balanced energy levels within your self.Do whatever it takes to become WHOLE and healed. A person cannot give what he or she does not have. If the entreprenuer is infected, the toxic-energy virus infects leadership, management, systems, protocols, employees, customers, products and services. If the entrepreneur recognizes he or she is infected with this deadly virus, but does not know what to do, seek help. The good news is, Everything a person needs is within reach.The bad news is, recognizing the toxic energy virus exists in the first place. Not knowing, is a symptom of the disease. In the case of many toxic entrepreneurs, the more infected he or she is, the less aware he or she is as carrier of the disease.The Cosmic Two-by-Four, however, always wins. Clunk! Over the head Going Out of Business, signs begin littering the landscape.
Time is the energy we do not fully understand. Yes, there are clocks. We use clocks to measure one hour to the next. Albert Einstein explains time and energy in his Theory of Relativity. For those of us who need some assistance in better understanding some of what Albert was trying to tell us, here it is: If you are with the one you love an hour seems like a minute. If you are sitting on a hot stove a minute seems like an hour.
Time is affected by the energy a person puts behind it. The energy a person brings to time is the winning or losing force. Whether you are the entrepreneur or not, make it your mission to cultivate and manage high-quality, balanced energy levels or not it is not up to anyone but you. Here are some choices to consider: Great energy! Good energy! Bad energy! Toxic energy! Just know, all energy is contagious.

Arvind786
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/time-management-energy-management-the-entrepreneur-1182636.html

Time management is an old school paradigm. Energy management is the new way of the entrepreneurial activist.
Energy management has nothing to do with trying to manage petroleum, coal, electricity, solar or wind power. Energy management is the foundational approach entrepreneurs must learn, understand and cultivate within themselves, their staff and their products and services. Entrepreneurs who do not embrace energy management will soon be, Going Out of Business.
Time management has little to do with the challenges entrepreneurs face today.
Time cannot be managed. People cannot be managed. Leaders lead. Managers manage. Leaders lead people. Managers manage things. Time is not a thing. People are not things. Time is not people. People are not time. Entrepreneurs who think they can manage people are in for a rude awakening! How does the hollow sound of, Going Out of Business, resonate? People are energy. Energy is the fuel which powers employees, customers, products and services either toward or away The entrepreneur who is insightful enough to manage and balance high-quality energy levels will be leaving his or her competition in the dust.
Time is needed to cultivate and manage the high-quality energy levels customers are starving for. Toxic energy will drive employees and customers away. This comes with a guarantee. Look around Does this ring true? Are employees and customers taking their business elsewhere? We begin hearing excuses coming from toxic energy types who blame the economy, the housing market, or fuel prices for what is happening. This blame is the beginning of a slow death for many entrepreneurial ventures. Those who stop trying to manage time, but instead, begin managing energy will discover untapped markets. Enlightened energy managers provide opportunity for all stakeholders. Energy managers must be authentic, however. Employees and customers are not as stupid as some entrepreneurs may think. High-quality, balanced energy cascades from the being of the awakened entrepreneur. Toxic energy also cascades from the being of the greed-centered entrepreneur. Profits are more important than ever! Still, it is the energy behind the profits that fuel and separate the authentic from the unauthentic.
Time management and the wilted concepts of managing people are over. The future is now! Energy management is now! If you want to become the awakened, highly successful entrepreneur, begin by cultivating and managing high-quality, balanced energy levels within your self.Do whatever it takes to become WHOLE and healed. A person cannot give what he or she does not have. If the entreprenuer is infected, the toxic-energy virus infects leadership, management, systems, protocols, employees, customers, products and services. If the entrepreneur recognizes he or she is infected with this deadly virus, but does not know what to do, seek help. The good news is, Everything a person needs is within reach.The bad news is, recognizing the toxic energy virus exists in the first place. Not knowing, is a symptom of the disease. In the case of many toxic entrepreneurs, the more infected he or she is, the less aware he or she is as carrier of the disease.The Cosmic Two-by-Four, however, always wins. Clunk! Over the head Going Out of Business, signs begin littering the landscape.
Time is the energy we do not fully understand. Yes, there are clocks. We use clocks to measure one hour to the next. Albert Einstein explains time and energy in his Theory of Relativity. For those of us who need some assistance in better understanding some of what Albert was trying to tell us, here it is: If you are with the one you love an hour seems like a minute. If you are sitting on a hot stove a minute seems like an hour.
Time is affected by the energy a person puts behind it. The energy a person brings to time is the winning or losing force. Whether you are the entrepreneur or not, make it your mission to cultivate and manage high-quality, balanced energy levels or not it is not up to anyone but you. Here are some choices to consider: Great energy! Good energy! Bad energy! Toxic energy! Just know, all energy is contagious.

Arvind786
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/time-management-energy-management-the-entrepreneur-1182636.html

The potential of biomass as an energy source is enormous: experts have calculated that the planet produces eight times more biomass each year than its energy needs overall (though it currently puts only 7 percent of that available resource to use in energy production). It’s not only a renewable resource, it’s also a seemingly inevitable one; to paraphrase a common aphorism, biomass happens.

Any fuel created from biomass can be called biofuel, although the term gets the most media attention when used to denote biomass-based fuels that power internal combustion engines especially cars. These include biodiesel, biobutanol, biogas and bioethanol. The fuels can be created from plant materials specifically grown for the purpose or from the recycling or re-use of other biomass resources.

Energy Crops
Crops have long been grown to feed people and animals, but until recently were not raised specifically as energy sources. Even trees, which have been used for thousands of years as a heating source, were not “farmed” for just that purpose. Today there is even a term for trees and woody plants cultivated for the specific purpose of creating fuel: dendro-energy. The products of any agriculture dedicated to producing fuel of any sort are called “energy crops” the high-falutin technical term would be “closed-loop biomass” and are steadily becoming an important resource in global energy development.

There are literally hundreds of different dendro-energy resources alone, from abies balsamea (balsam fir) to Zizania aquatica (wild rice) around the world. In countries with no proven reserves of fossil fuels, investments and research in dendro-energy resources have helped otherwise energy-poor nations such as Sri Lanka develop alternatives to costly and politically dependent imports, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “power plant.”

Some of the energy crops grown around the world include corn, soybeans, flaxseed and sugar cane. Additionally, biofuels are also manufactured frequently from the unused portions of crops grown for other purposes such as the chaff, stalks, shells, husks, and roots.

Energy crops add fewer emissions to the air and water supply than do petroleum products in general and coal in particular. Energy crops contain almost no sulfur and far less nitrogen than fossil fuels, so their combustion does not contribute to acid rain and smog (sulfur dioxide, or SO2) and smog (nitrogen oxides, or NOx). And unlike fossil fuels, they do not have significant quantities of mercury to leach into the water supply. In general, energy crops do not release nearly the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as anthropogenic sources (that is, human-made concoctions such as natural gas, gasoline, solvents, pesticides, and paints).

There are biogenic sources of VOCs, however, and these do represent significant contributors. Pine and citrus trees, for example, release large quantities of isoprene (a chemical compound found naturally in plants and animals, including humans, isoprene is nevertheless a pollutant, especially as it contributes to the production of ozone) and terpenes (a family of hydrocarbons that are the major components of resin and, not surprisingly, turpentine), although these trees are used as biomass.

One promising source of biofuels is microalgae, which can be grown on aquaculture farms. A pilot program demonstrated in during the 1990s showed that algae can be used to create diesel and jet fuel. This is particularly good news given the efficiency of algae relative to some other energy crops. For example, corn, which is a common energy crop, yields just 18 gallons of fuel per acre. Thanks to its fast growth cycle, algae can yield up to 10,000 gallons per acre. There’s another benefit to algae, too. Some power plants are already using algae bioreactors to reduce CO2 emissions by pumping the gas into a pond or tank for the algae to feed on.

Recycled Energy
Another way in which biomass gets put to use as an energy source is through recycling biodegradable materials or water products. Industry and agriculture are major sources of biodegradable by-products, but every household generates potentially useful biomass. On a large scale, manufacturers and other industrial and commercial services generate biodegradable materials they no longer need.

Kevin Rockwell
http://www.articlesbase.com/nature-articles/biofuels-stay-on-top-of-the-coming-trends-380739.html

The potential of biomass as an energy source is enormous: experts have calculated that the planet produces eight times more biomass each year than its energy needs overall (though it currently puts only 7 percent of that available resource to use in energy production). It’s not only a renewable resource, it’s also a seemingly inevitable one; to paraphrase a common aphorism, biomass happens.

Any fuel created from biomass can be called biofuel, although the term gets the most media attention when used to denote biomass-based fuels that power internal combustion engines especially cars. These include biodiesel, biobutanol, biogas and bioethanol. The fuels can be created from plant materials specifically grown for the purpose or from the recycling or re-use of other biomass resources.

Energy Crops
Crops have long been grown to feed people and animals, but until recently were not raised specifically as energy sources. Even trees, which have been used for thousands of years as a heating source, were not “farmed” for just that purpose. Today there is even a term for trees and woody plants cultivated for the specific purpose of creating fuel: dendro-energy. The products of any agriculture dedicated to producing fuel of any sort are called “energy crops” the high-falutin technical term would be “closed-loop biomass” and are steadily becoming an important resource in global energy development.

There are literally hundreds of different dendro-energy resources alone, from abies balsamea (balsam fir) to Zizania aquatica (wild rice) around the world. In countries with no proven reserves of fossil fuels, investments and research in dendro-energy resources have helped otherwise energy-poor nations such as Sri Lanka develop alternatives to costly and politically dependent imports, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “power plant.”

Some of the energy crops grown around the world include corn, soybeans, flaxseed and sugar cane. Additionally, biofuels are also manufactured frequently from the unused portions of crops grown for other purposes such as the chaff, stalks, shells, husks, and roots.

Energy crops add fewer emissions to the air and water supply than do petroleum products in general and coal in particular. Energy crops contain almost no sulfur and far less nitrogen than fossil fuels, so their combustion does not contribute to acid rain and smog (sulfur dioxide, or SO2) and smog (nitrogen oxides, or NOx). And unlike fossil fuels, they do not have significant quantities of mercury to leach into the water supply. In general, energy crops do not release nearly the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as anthropogenic sources (that is, human-made concoctions such as natural gas, gasoline, solvents, pesticides, and paints).

There are biogenic sources of VOCs, however, and these do represent significant contributors. Pine and citrus trees, for example, release large quantities of isoprene (a chemical compound found naturally in plants and animals, including humans, isoprene is nevertheless a pollutant, especially as it contributes to the production of ozone) and terpenes (a family of hydrocarbons that are the major components of resin and, not surprisingly, turpentine), although these trees are used as biomass.

One promising source of biofuels is microalgae, which can be grown on aquaculture farms. A pilot program demonstrated in during the 1990s showed that algae can be used to create diesel and jet fuel. This is particularly good news given the efficiency of algae relative to some other energy crops. For example, corn, which is a common energy crop, yields just 18 gallons of fuel per acre. Thanks to its fast growth cycle, algae can yield up to 10,000 gallons per acre. There’s another benefit to algae, too. Some power plants are already using algae bioreactors to reduce CO2 emissions by pumping the gas into a pond or tank for the algae to feed on.

Recycled Energy
Another way in which biomass gets put to use as an energy source is through recycling biodegradable materials or water products. Industry and agriculture are major sources of biodegradable by-products, but every household generates potentially useful biomass. On a large scale, manufacturers and other industrial and commercial services generate biodegradable materials they no longer need.

Kevin Rockwell
http://www.articlesbase.com/nature-articles/biofuels-stay-on-top-of-the-coming-trends-380739.html