scuola energia e ambiente
Biomass
In 2012 biomasses satisfied approximately 10% of energy requirement worldwide (International Energy Agency Key World Energy Statistics 2014). Exploitation of this resource is not distributed homogeneously across the Planet. The vegetation that covers our planet is a natural storage of solar energy. The organic matter composing it is called biomass. Biomass is produced through the photosynthesis process, when carbon dioxide from the atmosphere combines with underground water to produce sugars, starch, cellulose, lignin, protein substances, fats, etc. The same solar energy that activated the photosynthesis is contained in the chemical bonds of these substances. In this way 2 x 1011 tons of carbon are fixed each year, with a corresponding energy content of 70 x 103 megatons of oil.
subjects dealt with in Biomass
Biomass knowledge
The vegetation which covers our planet is a natural deposit of solar energy. The organic matter it is made of…
Energy production
The technologies used to obtain energy (biopower) from different types of biomass are different and the resulting energy products are…
Biomass plants
A district-heating system consists of a transport network and a heat production plant, which serves more than one building at…
Biofuels
The word biofuel may refer to the fuels used for the production of electric energy, but in general it refers…
special reports
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21 February 2013 / Energy
Renewable energy in Italy
Renewable energy sources in Italy The GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici), the Italian energy services management authority, periodically publishes data…
5 March 2009 / Energy
Biofuels
Biofuels Biofuels are one of our biggest hopes in the struggle against climate change. Growing crops to be transformed into…
18 May 2011 / Energy
Artificial photosynthesis
Science is inspired by nature The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature.…
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22 May 2012 / Energy
Green chemistry
A bit of history Chemistry accompanies man from that day long ago when coarse hands full of hope put out…
5 October 2011 / Energy
The energy scenario in Italy
The National Energy Balance Every year the Italian Ministry of Economic Development publishes the country's National Energy Balance. This gives…
1 July 2007 / Energy
Renewable energy in Nepal
The resources of diversity Nepal is an extremely varied country, with a complex morphology. It contains different ecosystems in a…
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20 September 2010 / Energy
Vertical farm
The problem of food According to recent estimates made by the UNO, the global population will increase by 3 billion…
27 September 2012 / Life
Over 7 billion people on Earth
World population hits 7 billion Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population reached the 7 billion mark,…
3 December 2006 / Life
Sustainable agriculture
Eating in order to survive Agriculture is man’s main activity, it enables the production of food, that passes through shops…
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21 February 2013 / Energy
Renewable energy in Italy
Renewable energy sources in Italy The GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici), the Italian energy services management authority, periodically publishes data…
5 March 2009 / Energy
Biofuels
Biofuels Biofuels are one of our biggest hopes in the struggle against climate change. Growing crops to be transformed into…
-
18 May 2011 / Energy
Artificial photosynthesis
Science is inspired by nature The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature.…
22 May 2012 / Energy
Green chemistry
A bit of history Chemistry accompanies man from that day long ago when coarse hands full of hope put out…
-
5 October 2011 / Energy
The energy scenario in Italy
The National Energy Balance Every year the Italian Ministry of Economic Development publishes the country's National Energy Balance. This gives…
1 July 2007 / Energy
Renewable energy in Nepal
The resources of diversity Nepal is an extremely varied country, with a complex morphology. It contains different ecosystems in a…
21 February 2013 / Energy
Renewable energy in Italy
Renewable energy sources in Italy The GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici), the Italian energy services management authority, periodically publishes data…
5 March 2009 / Energy
Biofuels
Biofuels Biofuels are one of our biggest hopes in the struggle against climate change. Growing crops to be transformed into…
18 May 2011 / Energy
Artificial photosynthesis
Science is inspired by nature The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature.…
from the Multimedia section
curiosities
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Hydrogen from biomass
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that allows to generate energy in an environmentally sustainable way. However hydrogen is only present…
Phyto-depuration
A very interesting project has been carried out by Lombardy region: the creation of a water phyto-depuration plant whose final…
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
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H from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru in collaboration with the…
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
Not only energy The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it…
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
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Plants activate electrons
In all electric plants, excluding photovoltaic solar plants, mechanic energy is transformed into electric energy through the same basic procedure.…
ITER fusion reactor
The reactor that will be able to produce electronuclear energy without risk of explosion or radioactive waste is called Iter…
Geographical distribution of energy
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
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Hydrogen from biomass
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that allows to generate energy in an environmentally sustainable way. However hydrogen is only present…
Phyto-depuration
A very interesting project has been carried out by Lombardy region: the creation of a water phyto-depuration plant whose final…
-
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
H from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru in collaboration with the…
-
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
Not only energy The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it…
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
Hydrogen from biomass
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that allows to generate energy in an environmentally sustainable way. However hydrogen is only present…
Phyto-depuration
A very interesting project has been carried out by Lombardy region: the creation of a water phyto-depuration plant whose final…
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…