school energy&environment
Biomass
In 2015 biomasses satisfied 9.7% of energy requirement worldwide (International Energy Agency Key World Energy Statistics 2017). 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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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 2016 / Energy
Green chemistry
A bit of history Chemistry accompanies man from that day long ago when coarse hands full of hope put out…
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,…
8 April 2011 / Ecosystems
Protected areas
Taking a look at the past Protecting nature, at least as a general concept, has rather old origins; in fact…
10 September 2020 / Energy
A simple and ingenious invention
There are objects so simple and ordinary that we forget their existence when we don't need them. Their presence is…
-
17 March 2020 / Energy
Energy and renewable sources: what is the current status?
The relentless growth of renewable energy sources continues... The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (Ren21) periodically publishes…
23 September 2019 / Energy
Everything is transformed
At primary school we learn that nothing is created and nothing is destroyed. We have heard this phrase so many…
2 April 2019 / Energy
Italy’s status on renewable sources
Renewable sources in Italy The Energy Services Operator (GSE) periodically publishes data and statistics on the renewable sources used in…
-
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 2016 / Energy
Green chemistry
A bit of history Chemistry accompanies man from that day long ago when coarse hands full of hope put out…
-
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,…
-
8 April 2011 / Ecosystems
Protected areas
Taking a look at the past Protecting nature, at least as a general concept, has rather old origins; in fact…
10 September 2020 / Energy
A simple and ingenious invention
There are objects so simple and ordinary that we forget their existence when we don't need them. Their presence is…
-
17 March 2020 / Energy
Energy and renewable sources: what is the current status?
The relentless growth of renewable energy sources continues... The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (Ren21) periodically publishes…
23 September 2019 / Energy
Everything is transformed
At primary school we learn that nothing is created and nothing is destroyed. We have heard this phrase so many…
-
2 April 2019 / Energy
Italy’s status on renewable sources
Renewable sources in Italy The Energy Services Operator (GSE) periodically publishes data and statistics on the renewable sources used in…
-
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 2016 / Energy
Green chemistry
A bit of history Chemistry accompanies man from that day long ago when coarse hands full of hope put out…
-
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,…
-
8 April 2011 / Ecosystems
Protected areas
Taking a look at the past Protecting nature, at least as a general concept, has rather old origins; in fact…
-
10 September 2020 / Energy
A simple and ingenious invention
There are objects so simple and ordinary that we forget their existence when we don't need them. Their presence is…
-
17 March 2020 / Energy
Energy and renewable sources: what is the current status?
The relentless growth of renewable energy sources continues... The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (Ren21) periodically publishes…
-
23 September 2019 / Energy
Everything is transformed
At primary school we learn that nothing is created and nothing is destroyed. We have heard this phrase so many…
-
2 April 2019 / Energy
Italy’s status on renewable sources
Renewable sources in Italy The Energy Services Operator (GSE) periodically publishes data and statistics on the renewable sources used in…
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...
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
-
Hydrogen from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru...
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need...
-
Electricity and 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...
Geographical distribution of energy
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
-
Orimulsion
In order to improve supply security, and therefore the diversification of sources to produce electric energy...
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...
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Hydrogen from biomass
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that allows to generate energy in an environmentally sustainable way...
-
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
Hydrogen from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru...
-
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need...
-
Electricity and 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...
-
Geographical distribution of energy
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...
-
Peat and peat-bogs
The age of coal starts towards the mid 1600s, stimulated by the need for finding an alternative energy source to…
-
Hydrogen from the sugar cane
The Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (CIRPS) carried out a study in Peru...
-
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
-
Where does energy come from?
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need...
-
Electricity and 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...
-
Geographical distribution of energy
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…