Plant Biofuels and Green Technologies

This flashcard set covers the fundamentals of biofuels, the environmental impact of fossil fuels, global climate change causes and solutions, and green building technologies based on the lecture material.

Biofuel

A renewable fuel that contains energy from recent photosynthesis and is produced from living organisms.

Fossil fuels

Organic substances found in underground deposits formed in previous geologic periods from plants and animals used as energy sources, including coal, oil, and natural gas.

Carboniferous Period

The geologic period during which coal was formed from plant material that died but did not decompose due to a lack of oxygen.

Acid rain

Acidic deposition that occurs when sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) and nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$) react with oxygen and water in the atmosphere to form sulfuric and nitric acid.

Greenhouse effect

The process where gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, CFCs, and methane trap infrared light and heat in Earth's atmosphere.

Global climate change

An environmental problem caused by human activities releasing greenhouse gases, leading to global warming, sea-level rise, and increased storm severity.

Kyoto Protocol

An agreement involving developing nations in global efforts to address and mitigate global climate change.

Bioethanol

Alcohol produced by the fermentation of sugars or starches, primarily from corn, sugar cane, or cellulosic biomass.

Biodiesels

Plant vegetable oils, such as those from soybean and canola, that are modified to produce diesel fuel.

Hygroscopic

A property of ethanol that causes it to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment.

Cellulosic ethanol

Biofuel produced from breaking down farm waste, wood chips, and non-food grasses like switchgrass.

Saccharophagus degradans

A bacterium that produces enzymes useful for breaking down tough cellulose into materials for bioethanol production.

Panicum virgatum

The scientific name for switchgrass, a perennial North American grass researched as a high-yield bioenergy crop.

Sustainable architecture

A design approach that reduces the negative environmental impact of buildings through efficient use of materials, space, and energy.

Green walls

Vertical structures covered with plants, soil, and watering systems designed to reduce building temperatures and reuse water.

Green roofs

Living systems on top of buildings consisting of plants and a growing medium over a waterproof membrane to provide insulation and absorb rainwater.

WaterShed House

An award-winning solar-powered house designed by the University of Maryland team for the 2011 Solar Decathlon competition.

Food loss

The decrease in food quantity or quality that occurs during production, harvest, transport, and processing.

Food waste

The discarding of food that occurs specifically at the supermarket, restaurant, and consumer levels.

E85

A fuel blend containing a high percentage of ethanol intended for use in Flex fuel vehicles.