Test 3 Chapter 15

Question 1

Bioenergy

Answer 1

energy of biological origin, derived from biomass, such as fuelwood, livestock manure, municipal waste, energy crops

Question 2

Biofuels

Answer 2

fuels produced from biomass, usually of agricultural origin:
Bioethanol
Biodiesel
Biogas

Question 3

Energy crops

Answer 3

crops specifically cultivated to provide bioenergy, mainly biofuels but also (miscanthus, short rotation coppice, eucalyptus) other forms of energy

Question 4

Bioenergy types:

Answer 4

Biofuels
-Liquids
-gases
Bioheat
-wood burning
Bioelectricity
-Combustion in boiler to turbine
-Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)

Question 5

Conversion Processes

Answer 5

Biological Conversion:
-Fermentation, Anaerobic digestion, Anaerobic respiration.
Chemical Conversion:
-Transesterification (biodiesel)
Thermal Conversion:
-Combustion, Gasification, Pyrolysis

Question 6

First Generation Fermentation

Answer 6

Ethanol
-from grains or seeds: corn, wheat, potato.
-From sugar crops: sugar beets, sugar cane
These are broken into sugars and starches that are then converted to bioethanol.

Question 7

Biofuel first generation

Answer 7

Produced from sugars, grains, or seeds.

Question 8

Second generation biofuels:

Answer 8

From lignocellulose: crop residues, grasses and woody crops.
Can blend petroleum fuels in most cases.
Two generic processing routes: biological and thermochemical.

Question 9

Second generation biofuels: Pros vs cons

Answer 9

More beneficial for environment compared to 1st generation due to greater biomass usability per land area

Greater capital-intensity than 1st generation, as it requires larger facilities needed for the optimum economics.

Question 10

Role of microbes:

Answer 10

Bio-processors
Source of bio-catalyst enzymes.
- Fermentation of ethanol

Question 11

Fermentation steps:

Answer 11

Starch is liquified and then undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis to become glucose that is then fermented.

Question 12

Microdiesel

Answer 12

Genetically modified E. Coli
Uses oils/fatty acids and sugars
Plant waste and food waste.

Question 13

Bio-prospecting

Answer 13

Based on natural analogues

a search for plants, animals, and other organisms that may have other commercial use

Question 14

3rd generation biofuels

Answer 14

Unofficial category reserved for biofuels derived from algae

Algae capable of higher yields than second generation biofuels.

Question 15

advantages and disadvantages of 3rd generation biofuels

Answer 15

Algae can produce amazing yields (~9000 gallons of biofuel per acre) which saves lots of land mass.

Cons:
More economically expensive.
More energy is invested than can be harvested.
Larger greenhouse emissions than current systems.