Posts Tagged depleting natural resources

Environmental Risk Aversion for Waste Derived Biomass

1.0 Introduction

This 21st century has become an age of recycling where a lots of emphasize is placed on reuse of material to curb current environmental problems and maximize use of depleting natural resources and energy conservation. Modern day sustainable use and management of resource recommend need to incorporate recycling culture in our ways of life including technological process. Biomass is not left behind in this; the use of biomass energy resource derived from the carbonaceous waste of various natural and human activities to produce electricity is becoming popular. Biomass is considered as one of the clean, more- efficient and more-stable means of power generation. And it has become imperative for marine industry to tap this new evolving power generation mode especially the use of micro generation approach considering the mobile nature of ships.

 

Biofuels exist in solid, liquid or gas form thereby potentially affecting three of our core markets. Solid biofuels or biomass tend to be used in external combustion, however its use in the shipping industry has been limited to liquid biofuel due to lack of appropriate information economics forecasts, Sources of biomass include by-products from the timber industry, agricultural crops, raw material from the forest, major parts of household waste, and demolition wood, all things being equal using pure biomass that do not affect human and ecological chain make it suitable energy source. Biomass has low sulfur content means biomass combustion therefore considered much less acidifying than with coal, for example. Also, the ashes from biomass consumption, which are very low in heavy metals, can be recycled.

One advantage of biomass compared to other renewable-based systems that require costly advanced technology (such as solar photovoltaics) is that biomass can generate electricity with the same type of equipment and power plants that now burn fossil fuels. Many innovations in power generation with other fossil fuels may also be adaptable to the use of biomass fuels. Various factors have hindered the growth of the renewable energy resource, however. Most biomass power plants operating today are characterized by low boiler and thermal-plant efficiencies; both the fuel’s characteristics and the small size of most facilities contribute to these efficiencies. In addition, such plants are costly to build.

Biomass remains potential renewable energy contributor to net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by offsetting CO2 from fossil generation. The current method generating biomass power is biomass fired boilers and Rankine steam turbines. Recent research work in developing sustainable, and economic biomass focus on high-pressure supercritical steam cycles , use of feedstock supply system, and conversion of biomass to a low or medium gas that can be fired in combustion turbine cycles, resulting in efficiencies one-and-a-half times that of a simple steam turbine. biofuels has potential to influence marine industry, and it as become importance for designers and ship owners to accept their influence on the world fleet of the future especially the micro generation concept with co generation for cargo and fuel for  ships.

 

The paper discuss conceptual work, trend , sociopolitical driver, economic, development, and future of biomass with hope to bring awareness to local, national and multinational bodies making biofuels policies as well as maritime multidisciplinary expertise in regulation, economics, engineering, and vessel design and operation. The paper also discusses how the shipping industry can take advantage of growing tide to tap benefit promised by waste use power generation system.

 

 

2.0 Biomass developmental trend

 

The concept of use of Biofuels for energy generation has has been existing concept, and in the face of challenges posed by environmental need, its growth is likely to dominate renewable energy market. Following the advent of peanut oil diesel engines developed by Rudolf Diesel in 1911 the production and use of biofuels worldwide has grown significantly in recent years. The current world biofuels market is focused on: Bioethanol blended into fossil motor gasoline (petrol) or used directly and biodiesel or Fatty Acid Methyl Ester diesel blended into fossil diesel. However the use of The Fischer-Tropsch model that involve catalyzed chemical reaction to produce a synthetic petroleum substitute, typically from coal, natural gas or biomass, for use as synthetic lubrication oil or as a synthetic fuel seem promising and negate risk posed by food based biomass. This synthetic fuel runs only in diesel engines and some aircraft engines. Oil, product and chemical tankers being constructed now are likely to benefit much more from use of biomas. However use on gasoline engines ignites the vapors at much higher temperatures, which pose limitation to inland water craft.

 

Biomass generation and growing trend can be classified into 3 generation types:

first generation’ biofuels relate to biofuels made from sugar or starch, producing bioethanol, and vegetable oil or animal fats producing biodiesel. First generation biofuels provoke increasing criticism through their dependence on food crops and issues over biodiversity, land use and human rights. Hybrid technology for percentage blending is being employed to mitigate food production impact. Second generation biofuels mitigate problem posed by the first generation biofuels. They do not affect food crops because they are made from waste biomass from agricultural and forestry, fast-growing grasses and trees specially grown as so-called “energy crops”. With technology, sustainability and cost issues to overcome, second-generation biofuels are still several years away from commercial viability and many second generation mass produced biofuels are still under development including the biomass to liquid. Fischer-Tropsch production technique. third generation biofuels are green fuels like algae biofuel made from energy and biomass crops that have been designed in such a way that their structure or properties conform to the requirements of a particular bioconversion process. They are made from such as sewage, and grown on ponds.

 

Just like tanker revolution influence on ship type, demand for biomass will bring, will bring capacity, bio -material or completed product from source to production area and then to the point of use, will bring technological, environmental change will require ships of different configuration, size and tank coating type. As well as impact on the tonne mile demand will change accordingly.

 

Effect on shipping is likely to follow shipping large scale growth on exports and seaborne trade from key exporting regions, particularly South America. Brazil has a key role. Brazil has already been branded to be producing en-mass ethanol from sugar cane since the 1970s with a cost per unit reportedly the lowest in the world. And it is currently exploring ethanol

 

Table 1 – World ethanol consumption 2007

Consumption

 

World ethanol consumption –

51 million tones, 2007

Us and brazil

68%

EU and China –

17% – surplus of 0.1 million tones

US deficit –

1.7mt

EU deficit -

1.3 mt

World – deficit

1mt

 

Recent year is also witnessing  emerging trade on biofuel product between the US, EU, and Asia and whilst Brazil exports the most ethanol globally at about 2.9 million tonnes per year, the top importers of the US, EU,Japan and Korea have increasing demand that will have to be satisfied by increased shipping capacity. Seaborne vegetable oil supply is increasingly growing

 

 

Table 2 – Biofuel growth

 

 

 

Vegetable oil

33 mt in 2000 to 59 mt in 2008

 

Palm oil

13 mt in 2000 to 32 mt forecast in 2008.

 

a 7.5% p.a growth rate

Soya bean

7 mt to some 11.5 mt in 2008,

 

EU

imports – 5.7 mt in 2001 to an expected 10.3 mt for 2008

8.9%.

 

3.1 mt in 2001 to 5.2 mt forecast for 2008

39%

 

Production capacity- 1.9 mt in 2002 to 11 mt in 2007, with 2007.

 

50% of total capacity.

 

 

Recently biofuel is driving a new technology, Worldwide; the use of biofuels for cars and public vehicles has grown significantly. With excess capacity waiting for source material it seems inevitable that shipping demand will increase.

 

3.0 Inter industry Best Practice

 

3.1 Land based use - 

 

UK pumps mandate at least 2.5% biofuels. This target will rise to 5% by 2010. Also in the UK, the first train to run on biodiesel went into service in June 2007 for a six month trial period. The train uses a blended fuel, which is 20% biodiesel and the operator, Virgin Trains, is confident the mix can be increased to at least a 50% mix with the further possibility to run trains on fuels entirely from non-carbon sources. On January 15, 2006- Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA lunch a program to test a 20% blend of biodiesel (B20) in its buses. In two months they used approximately 45,000 gallons of B20. As a result of the test, in April 2006 they began using biodiesel fleet-wide. In addition to using B20 in the winter months, COTA has committed to using 50-90% biodiesel blends (B50 – B90) during the summer months. This is projected to decrease regular diesel fuel consumption by over one million gallons per year. 26th of October 2007. buses in the UK running on B100 was launched on  In a pilot project. Argent Energy (UK) Limited is working together with Stagecoach to supply biodiesel made by recycling and processing animal fat and used cooking oil. For power stations, B&W have orders in the EU for 45 MW of two-stroke biofuel engines with a thermal efficiency of 51-52%. Specifically, these operate on palm oil of varying quality, and in the future, it is expected that more engines, whether stationary or marine, will be developed to run on biofuels.

·         US DOE has funded five new advanced biomass gasification research and development projects beginning in 2001(Vermont project)

·         2008 – Ford announced a £1 billion research project to convert more of its vehicles to new biofuel sources. The first trial oft, Last year. BP Australia has now sold over 100 million liters of 10% ethanol content fuel to Australian motorists, and Brazil sells both 22% ethanol petrol nationwide and 100% ethanol to over 4 million cars, It is a trend that is gathering momentum.

In a program initiated by the Swedish National Board for Industrial and Technical Development in Stockholm, several Swedish universities, companies, and utilities are collaborating to accelerate the demonstration of the advanced EVGT for natural-gas firing, especially in small-scale units. A natural-gas-fired EVGT pilot plant (0.6 megawatts of power output for a simple gas-turbine cycle) should start operation in Lund, Sweden, in 1998.

·         AES Corporation is a leading company in biomass conversion internationally. At AES Kilroot in Northern Ireland, the team recently completed a successful trial to convert the plant to burn a mixture of coal and biomass. With further investment in the technology, nearly half of Northern Ireland’s 2012 renewable target could be met from AES Kilroot alone.

3.2 Aero industry–

 

Virgin Atlantic – Air transport is receiving increasing attention because of environmental concerns linked to CO2 emissions, air quality and noise. Virgin Atlantic in collaboration with Boeing and General Electric aircraft alternative fuels project for aircraft. A successful test flight from London to Amsterdam flight took place on 24th February of this year, running one of the four jumbo jet engines on a mixture of 20% coconut oil and babassu nut oil, with 80% conventional jet fuel. This fuel was specifically chosen due to its performance at low operating temperatures. The test was successful, with no noticeable difference in performance. Except that; imitation that biofuel mix used was in no way sustainable in the quantities required by the demands of the aviation industry. In a way to mitigate this Virgin is looking to us use of Algae based fuels as it is predicted that they may be suitable for use at low temperature.

 

3.3  Maritime industry 

 

The use of land based transportation, is growing, however the use for sea based transportation need to be explored. Biofuels  for ship will be advantageous. In recent UK pilot project where Buses are run on B100 Argent Energy (UK) Limited is working together with Stagecoach to supply biodiesel made by recycling and processing animal fat and used cooking oil. Marine engines with their inherent lower speed and more tolerant to burning alternative fuels than smaller, higher speed engines tolerance will allow them to run on lower grade and cheaper biofuels. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) unveiled a palm oil-based biodiesel since 2005.Optimistic outcome of the trial made RCCL confident enough to sign a contract in August 2007 for delivery of a minimum 15 million gallons and for the four years after, a minimum of 18 millions gallons of biodiesel for its cruise ships fleet. The contract marked the single largest long-term biodiesel sales contract in the United States. In early 2007, United States Coast Guard indicated that their fleet will augment increase use of biofuels by 15% over the next four years. In the marine industry, beside energy substitute advantage, biolubricants and biodegradable oil  are particularly advantageous from an environmental and pollution perspective. Bio lubrication also offer higher viscosity, flash point and better technical properties such as increased sealing and lower machine operating temperature advantageous use in ship operation.

 

Time has gone when maritime industry could afford nitty gritty in adopting technology, other industry are already on a fast track preparing themselves technically for evitable changes driven by environmental problem, Global energy demands and political debate add further pressures to find alternative energy especially bio energy  because of hybridization of old and new system advantage it offer. The implication is that shipping could be caught ill prepared for any rapid change in demand or supply of biofuel. Thus this technology is in the early stages of development but the shipping industry need top be prepared for the impacts of its breakthrough because Shipping will eventually required be at the centre of this supply and demand logistics chain again. Table 3 shows the projection for the main present players.

 

Table3  – projection

 

Region

Growth (1990-1994)

Projection (2020)

United states

7%

15%

Europe

2%

15%

 

4.0 Sources of biomass

North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) region. Supply has classified biofuel into the following four type’s vizs: agricultural residues, energy crops, forestry residues, and urban wood waste/mill residues. A brief description of each type of biomass is provided below:

Agricultural residues from the remaining stalks and biomass material left on the ground can be collected and used for energy generation purposes this include residues of wheat straw and corn stover. Energy crops are produced solely or primarily for use as feedstocks in energy generation processes. Energy crops includes hybrid poplar, and switchgrass, grown on idled, or in pasture, and in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Forestry residues are composed of logging residues, rough rotten salvageable dead wood, and excess small pole trees. Urban wood waste/mill residues are waste woods from manufacturing operations that would otherwise be landfilled. The urban wood waste/mill residue category includes primary mill residues and urban wood such as pallets, construction waste, and demolition debris, which are not otherwise used.

The most important agricultural commodity crops being planted in the United States are listed in Table 4. Corn, wheat, and soybeans represent about 70 percent of total cropland harvested.

 

 

Table 6 shows representative characteristics for different subcategories of urban wood waste and mill residues.

 

5.0 Risk and Uncertainties

Although a significant amount of effort has gone into estimating the available quantities of biomass supply, the following risk and uncertainties that need to be incorporated into design and decision work on biodiesel use are:

Risk to land use – Our planet only have 295 land, for example Brazil has some 200 million acres of farmland available, more than the 46 million acres of land,  required to grow the sugarcane needed to satisfy the projected 2022 Evolving competing uses of biomass materials, the large market consumption, pricing and growing need. In agricultural waste, the impact of biomass removal on soil quality pose treat to agricultural residues that need to be left on the soil to maintain soil quality could result in significant losses of biomass for electric power generation purposes. Impact of changes in forest fire prevention policies on biomass availability could cause vegetation in forests to minimize the potential for forest fires could significantly increase the quantity of forestry residues available. Potential attempt to recycle more of the municipal solid waste stream might translate into less available biomass for electricity generation. \ Impact on the food production industry as witness in recent food scarcity crisis

5.1 Regulatory impact

 

The EU has stated that by 2020 a target of 20% of community wide energy will be renewable. Further to this, all member states are to achieve a mandatory 10% minimum target for the share of biofuels in transport petrol and diesel consumption by 2020.. The legislation provides a phase-in for biofuel blends, including availability of high percentage biofuel blends at filling stations.  The United States Congress passed the Renewable Fuels Standards (RFS) in February 2008, which will require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2022. In parallel to this, work is continuing to reduce emissions further in vehicles. Political drivers in Asia vary according to region. In Southeast Asia, the centre of world production for palm oil, coconut oil, and other tropical oils, political support for farming is the key driver.

 

The issue affecting shipping is whether to refine and use biodiesel locally, or export the unrefined oil for product production elsewhere. In the short term the economics have favored the exports of unrefined oil – which is good news for us. Over the next ten years, with the cost of oil rising, and strict emission reductions in place, the need for increased biofuel production is likely to increase. as well as creating a net positive balance fuel. According to the IEA, world biofuels demand for transport could increase to about 3% of overall world oil demand in 2015 and double by 2030 over the 2008 figure. This does not sound so significant but as we show later it has a significant impact on the specialist fleet capacity demand. As we said before, predicting the trade pattern of biofuels adds a layer of complexity to the overall  nergy supply picture and our oil distribution system.

 

We also believe that this forecast will be the minimum seen as the political pressures will cause the level to rise beyond 3%. To put the scale in context, the current oil tanker fleet of vessels 10,000 dwt or larger comprises of some 4,600 vessels amounting to 386 million dwt. These include about 2,560 Handysize tankers. Additionally, there are some 4,400 more small tankers from 1,000 to 10,000 dwt accounting for 16 million dwt. Our projections show a significant role for seaborne transport, even using conservative bases with high proportions of locally supplied biofuels. This is a significant fleet segment that poses technical and regulatory challenges. As we have discussed, the requirements cannot be fully defined because many market factors remain uncertain, but ship owners who are building new vessels or operating existing vessels should consider this future trade through flexible design options that we will introduce later.

 

 

5.3  Potential Impacts to Shipping

 

The key political drivers for biofuels are environmental concerns, energy security and agricultural policy. The tonne mile demand for future tankers will be greatly affected by national, regional or global policy and political decision making in these areas. There is a greater flexibility in the sourcing of biofuels than there is in hydrocarbon energy sources and this may be attractive to particular governments. Once the regulatory framework is clear, economics will determine how the regulations will best be met and seaborne trade will be at the centre of the outcome. In many parts of the world, environmental concerns are the leading political driver for biofuels. Reflecting these concerns, the global Kyoto Protocol, was negotiated in 1997, and this further provides a driver for the use of biofuels.

 

 

 

 

5.4  Shipping Routes and Economics Impacts

 

The above trend analysis discussed indicate potential capacity requirement from shipping, so far  North America, Europe and South East  Asia are the key importing regions where this growth is concentrated. This includes the Latin American counties of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay and Southeast Asia’s Indonesia and Malaysia will remain key suppliers for the palm oil, Philippines and Papua New Guinea have potentials for vegetable oil and agricultural while Thailand has potential for sugarcane. This trade potential will determine future trade route from Malacca Straits to Europe, ballast to Argentina, to load soybean oil to China, and then make a short ballast voyage to the Malacca Straits, where the pattern begins again, a typical complicated fronthaul / backhaul combinations that can initiate, economies of scale need top reduce freight costs and subsequent push for bigger ship production and short sea services like recent experience of today’s tankers.  According to plateau case study the following regional impact can be deduced for shipping.

 

 

 

Biofuel

Demand

North America

ethanol

33 million tons

Europe

ethanol and biodiesel.: 50:50

30 million tons

Asia

ethanol and biodiesel.: 50:50

18 million tons

 

North America demand – policy work support biofuel use in the us and 32 Handysize equivalent tankers will be needed to meet US demand in 2015. with technological breakthrough there will be need for 125 vessel 2030.

 

European demand – Due to environmental requirement and energy security believed to be politically acceptable in the EU but economics may drive a different outcome.80 Handysizes with some due to the growth in trade and longer voyage distance.  With technological breakthrough for 2nd and 3rd generation biofuel growth will need growing to 145 in 2030 Aframax vessels if the technical issues can be overcome.

 

Asia demand  - In plateau case  50 Handysize equivalents are required in 2015 and 2030 with forecast vessel sizes being Handysizes with some Panamax vessels 162 vessels total in the three regions.

 

By adding up all the regions, with biofuels as only 3% of world transport demand, we are looking at a fleet of about 400 Handysize vessels to accommodate the demand and supply drivers by 2030 and 162 by 2015. The total vessel forecast for 2030 could means 2,560 vessels of 81 million deadweight tons.

 

As regions identify these growth markets and recognize the economies of $ /tonne scale that can be achieved, as shown here, with bigger tonnage, we are seeing natural investment occurring. New port developments in concerned trade rout will be required to accommodate large Panamax vessel and parcel size for palm oil exports. on the long haul routes.

 

5.5  Biomass  Ship Technologies Impacts

Generation

A variety of methods could turn an age-old natural resource into a new and efficient means of generating electricity. biomass in large amounts is available in many areas, and is being considered as a fuel source for future generation of electricity. Biomass is by its nature both bulky and widely distributed and electricity from conventional, centralized power plants requires an extensive distribution network. Traditionally power is generated through centralized, conventional power plant, where biomass is transported to the central plant, typically a steam or gas turbine power plant, and the electricity is then distributed through the grid to the end users. Costs include fuel and transportation, power plant construction, maintenance, and operation, and distribution of the electric power, including losses in transmission.

 

 

Electrical efficiency

capacity

 biomass

thermal efficiency -40 %

,000 per kilowat

 

coal

45 %

,500 per kilowatt,

 

However, micro-biomass power generators located at the site of end-use seem to offer a path for new solution for energy. Recent development in towards use of micro biomass will equally offer best practice adaptation for marine power. Biomass is used at or near the site of end-use, with heat from external combustion converted directly to electricity by a biomass fired free-piston genset . Costs include fuel and acquisition and maintenance of the genset and burner. Since the electricity is used on site, both transmission losses and distribution costs are minimal. Thus, in areas without existing infrastructure to transmit power, there are no additional costs. In this case it is also possible to cogenerate using the rejected heat for space or hot water heating, or absorption cooling. Previously, option two has not been feasible, since there have been no small (less than ~50 kW) devices for directly and efficiently converting biomass energy to electricity. Micro-biomass power generation is a more cost-effective means of providing power than central biomass power generation. In particular, areas where there is a need for both power and heat – domestic hot water and space heat and absorption chilling – are attractive for cogeneration configurations of this machine. Biomass can be generated using single or ganged free-piston Stirling engines gensets. These micro-biomass generators offer a number of advantages over centralized biomass fueled power plants. They can be placed at the end-user location taking advantage of local fuel prices and do not require a distribution grid. They can directly provide electrical output with integral linear alternators, or where power requirements are larger they can be ganged and drive a conventional rotary turbine. They are hermetically sealed and offer long lives through their non-contact operation.

Biomass for electricity generation is treated in four ways in NEMS: (1) new dedicated biomass or biomass gasification, (2) existing and new plants that co-fire biomass with coal, (3) existing plants that combust biomass directly in an open-loop process,18 and (4) biomass use in industrial cogeneration applications. Existing biomass plants are accounted for using information such as on-line years, efficiencies, heat rates, and retirement dates, obtained through EIA surveys of the electricity generation sector.

Emissions offsets and waste reduction could help enhance the appeal of biomass to utilities  An important consideration for the future use of biomass-fired power plants is the treatment of biomass flue gases. Biomass-combustion flue gases have high moisture content. When the flue gas is cooled to a temperature below the dew point, water vapor starts to condense. By using flue-gas condensation, sensible and latent heat can be recovered for district heating or other heat-consuming processes; this increases the heat generation from a cogeneration plant by more than 30 percent.  Flue-gas condensation not only recovers heat but also captures dust and hazardous pollutants from flue gases at the same time. Most dioxins, chlorine, mercury, and dust are removed, and sulfur oxides are separated out to some extent. Another feature of flue gas condensation is water recovery, which helps solve the problem of water consumption in evaporative gas turbines.

 

Biomass open door for another way rather than competing with fossil fuel plants a substantial opportunity exists to generate micro-biomass electric power, at power levels from fractions of a kilowatts through to tens or hundreds of kilowatts, at the point of en d use. At these power levels neither small internal combustion engines, which cannot use biomass directly, nor reciprocating steam engines, with low efficiency and limited life, can offer the end user economic electric power. Free-piston Stirling micro biomass engine engines are an economic alternative. Stirling offers the following advantages over significantly larger systems:

Stirling machines have reasonable overall efficiencies at moderate heater head temperatures (~600ƒC) cogeneration is simple large amounts of capital do not have to be raised to build a single evaluation plant with its associated technical and economic risks A large fraction of the value of the engine alternator can be reused at the end of its life Stirling systems can be ganged with multiple units operating in parallel.

 

United States: 1996, P1-R96-STAB-00-NTH (Washington, DC, November 1996). l.

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Green technologies for rural development ?an overview

Green Technology is the term for any application of science towards improving the relationship between human technology involvement and the impact this has on the environment and natural resources. Generally green technology is supposed to conserve the natural environment and resources, and to curb the negative impacts of human involvement. Sustainable development is the core of this concept. When applying sustainable development as a solution for environmental issues, the solutions need to be socially equitable, economically viable, and environmentally sound.

The main objectives of application of green technologies are • Sustainability – meeting the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources. • Creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used. • Reducing waste and pollution by changing the patterns of production and consumption • Developing alternatives to technologies – whether its fossil fuel or chemical intensive agriculture – that have been demonstrated to damage health and the environment. • Creating a center of economic activity around technologies and products that benefit the environment In India there are number of R & D scientific organizations viz Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Conventional Universities, Agricultural Universities, Baba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and number of private industrial research agencies which are contributing in developing one or other technology which is rather eco-friendly and can be defined as green technology. Depending on the necessity and challenges that are required for the overall development of the rural sector we need to bring in and implement at least some of the green technologies in such locations. For this purpose financial and other infrastructure support including human resource is very much needed for applications of green technologies. Integration of such support and technological applications will definitely stimulate growth and overall development of the rural sector. Today we have number of green technologies namely renewable energy from wind, water, tidal energy, solar energy, development of bio-fuels from natural resources, bio-gas plants, bio-fertilizers, bio-manures, bio-pesticides, bio-waste recycling, bio-conservation, cattle farming and aquaculture, dairy and dairy products, pollution control and water purification, water conservation, rejuvenation technique for plantation and development of forest etc. It is necessary that we need to identify location specific technologies depending on rural resources. Community based management mode need to be encouraged while implementing technologies to bring overall development of rural sector. All these aspects are discussed in the present communication. Introduction: Green technology is not just something of the present; but it has history and is going to play a big role in the future. “The term ‘technology’ refers to the application of knowledge for practical purposes and green technology means a method of products designed to protect our environment from various vagaries whether it is natural or due to human interventions.

Today we are living in the age of technology, but we are not living in the environmentally “cleanest” era. In the 21st century we need to look into the future and prepare for a cleaner environment with the impact of human involvement. Although we do not hear a lot about the history of green technology there is a long time line of ideas. For example, since 1000 B.C., Asia and Europe began harnessing and advancing wind energy, developing more efficient and newer windmills. When this idea reached America in the 1850′s it was used to provide fresh water to irrigate the farms and drinking water for the livestock. “During the late 19th century, Charles Brush was able to develop the first wind powered turbine that generated electricity in the United States.” (http://www.cn-friendtech.com, 2010). The United States EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) Energy Star Program was one of the most important landmarks in green technology in 1992. Another important landmark was the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, which was aimed at reducing carbon emissions. “The Earth’s climate continues to change, and biological diversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate, undermining the ecological basis for sustainable development (Watson, R., 2010).” With all the pollutants that we constantly put in the air, in the water, and all over the streets/ground, the world is being suffocated. All the trees that we are constantly cutting down to make new subdivisions, and new businesses, are taking away from our oxygen supply which, again, makes it harder for our planet. We are losing rain forests, wetlands, coral reefs, and much more, at substantial rates and have no way to get them back to normal again. Green house gas emissions have been a huge problem for many years. Industrialization and urbanization in many cities and towns have created vulnerable environmental conditions which are not suitable to sustain our life for longer time. Therefore, in order to revert back the whole process of establishing green and clean environment we need to emphasize on use of green technology in all spheres wherever possible.

The impact of green technologies on sustainable development, besides creating employment opportunities, income generation and societal development particularly in rural sector is also well known. What is required today is proper guidance and directions to the rural masses, awareness and capacity building programmes, involvement of women force and unemployed youth in GT activities. Banks and other financial corporate should also come forward with microfinance schemes to support for implementation of GT. Today we have number of viable GTs in the areas of energy, oil and fuel, agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and aquaculture, water harvesting and management, environment and forest, pollution whether air, water or land, biodiversity and conservation etc. Even in the area of engineering, efforts are being made to devise technologies which are eco-friendly and compatible to the green or Mother Nature.

With the way the economy is going, global warming is becoming a detrimental issue for society Advances in green technology have progressed but there is concern for increasing the use of renewable energy. Not only does the government has control over the steps to take care of this matter, society plays a big role in actually making a difference. There are several programs in place that monitor and create ways to enhance earth’s environmental health. Whether in the workplace, at school, or at home, there are strategies that benefit communities worldwide. Let’s take a look at what’s being done to protect the environment from global warming, eliminating greenhouse gases, and preventing environmental health issues that greatly affect climate change. The most commonly known green technologies are solid waste management, recycling, water purification, and renewable energy. Solid waste is commonly known as unwanted waste or garbage including recyclables and composting substances It has been estimated that India generates 140,000 tonnes of solid waste every day of which only 8% to 9% is scientifically disposed of. However there is a huge potential for recycling and reprocessing the waste and turning it into something useful. According to the Central Pollution Control Board solid waste generation in our country is 300-500 gm per head per day, and it is higher in metropolitan cities. Municipalities in India spend a negligible amount of their budget on solid waste management with the majority share being used for administrative purpose. There is a lack of public awareness about scientific disposal and segregation of recyclable and non-recyclable waste. If each sector house hold , community, municipality and reprocessors take out some time to segregate solid waste, most of the problems faces in solid waste management can be solved. Therefore, through waste There are a large variety of ecological services in place to meet environmental and regulatory demands. With ongoing program implementation, waste management efforts can minimize environmental impact and offer renewable energy solutions and clean environment Available viable green technologies for implimentation Top five green technological breakthroughs in recent past which have started making impact not only in urban areas but in semi-urban areas are: Dynamic buildings Tubercle blades Micro-algae Wave and tidal power Solar thermal energy However, renewable energy has become an important issue today as environmental concerns and when there is need to drive down cost, the same increases. Resources from nature that are “naturally replenished” are used to create energy sources including wind, solar, bio fuel and others. These renewable energy forms are growing in use globally and provide utilities with the ability to offer energy for fewer costs. The natural element of Wind is important today as we look for alternative energy sources. Wind power is created when the wind energy converts to other forms of energy like electricity, fuel, and power. Wind power can be created using wind turbines, wind mills, wind pumps, wind farms. The use of sunlight to create electricity is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people look to cut costs and become environmentally aware. Solar power converts sunlight into electricity and is used to power small Devices as well as entire homes today. Solar power can be created through photovoltaics (PV) – a method that converts solar radiation into electricity using solar panels. Concentrated solar power (CSP) can also create electricity by using lenses or mirrors to focus a beam of sunlight and create heat to a source that’s also connected to a power generator

Green Builders Structural builders focused solely on Green practices have emerged today as greener living becomes a critical focus across the world. From taking small steps to reduce waste, to more efficiently using earth’s resources, green builders are tasked with selecting building materials and creating structures that serve to reduce the overall impact on the environment. Green builders focus on more conscious use of natural resources and green practices from the design, construction, operation and overall life of the structures they build. Research has shown that the productivity of employees increases when working in a green office. It has been reported that tenants living/working in green buildings experience increased productivity and fewer sick days. Therefore, in India too has the second largest stock of rated green buildings in the world, second only to US.

Most of the fossil fuels that we use are biological in nature. Perhaps bio-fuel is one that does not add to the stock of total carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The bio-fuels are therefore considered to be “CO2 neutral”, not adding to the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere. The type of bio-fuel used will depend on a number of factors, chief amongst them being the available feedstock and the energy that can be used locally. Bio-diesel Bio diesel was probably the first of the alternative fuels to really become known to the public. The great advantage of bio-diesel is that it can be used in existing vehicles with little or no adaptation necessary. Bio-diesel is, naturally, a compromise for this reason, but still balances positively on the energy scales. There are energy plants available that will produce a higher yield in kW per area, but the simplicity of having a fuel that is fully compatible with present fuel and engine technology makes it very attractive. Cars running on Bio-ethanol, which is produced from agricultural crops, sugar cane or bio-mass, are governed by the same law of physics as those using gasoline. That means both emit CO2, as an inevitable consequence of the combustion process. But there is a crucial difference: burning ethanol, in effect, recycles the CO2 because it has already been removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis during the natural growth process. In contrast, the use of gasoline or diesel injects into the atmosphere additional new quantities of CO2 which have lain fixed underground in oil deposits for millions of years. Bio-gas Biogas is becoming increasingly interesting as an alternative to natural gas. It is especially useful that the composition is practically identical, so the same burners can be used for both fuels. Biogas can be produced from plant or animal waste, or a combination of both. There are many different methods used dependent on the starting material and quantity involved. A mixture of both has proven to be the best method. The animal waste produces the nitrogen needed for growth of the bacteria and the vegetable waste supplies most of the carbon and hydrogen necessary. 

 Biomass can be a practicable alternative for small district heating schemes in rural areas. Traditional biomass is wood residue and excess straw from agriculture being burned to provide heat or power. There are also gasification plants that produce a gas composed mainly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen from plant material. This has the advantage of being capable of transportation by pipeline or being filled into cylinders for distribution. Pyrolyis, as it is known, is being investigated in many countries presently. Pyrolysis of biomass is used to produce a mixture of three combustible products from biomass: tar, gas and coke are formed in varying proportions. After cleaning the gas can be used to drive turbines or gas motors. The tar is also suitable for the plastics industry and the coke can also be burned in the conventional way.

Landfill sites are now being used for the commercial production of methane in many areas instead of simply flaring the gas for safety reasons. Methane is produced in commercially viable quantities for many years after a landfill site has been closed. Nevertheless, there are still many landfill sites where the gas is being wasted. This source will dry up in time to come, since many countries are now finally emphasizing the separation of waste and recycling, but there is gas for the next twenty years in the landfill sites presently existing. The methane digester is a plant to produce methane in the form of biogas from plant and animal waste. Such systems are common in certain countries, such as India, but sorely neglected in others, although the raw material is available everywhere.

Bio-fertilizers Bio-fertilizers are preparations containing living cells or latent cells of efficient strains of microorganisms that help crop plants’ uptake of nutrients by their interactions in the rhizosphere when applied through seed or soil. They accelerate certain microbial processes in the soil which augment the extent of availability of nutrients in a form easily assimilated by plants. Very often microorganisms are not as efficient in natural surroundings as one would expect them to be and therefore artificially multiplied cultures of efficient selected microorganisms play a vital role in accelerating the microbial processes in soil. Use of biofertilizer is one of the important components of integrated nutrient management, as they are cost effective and renewable source of plant nutrients to supplement the chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture. Several microorganisms and their association with crop plants are being exploited in the production of biofertilizer. They can be grouped in different ways based on their nature and function.

Bio-pesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. For example, canola oil and baking soda have pesticidal applications and are considered bio-pesticides. At the end of 2001, there were approximately 195 registered bio-pesticide active ingredients and 780 products. Bio-pesticides fall into three major classes: 1 Microbial pesticides consist of a microorganism (e.g., a bacterium, fungus, virus or protozoan) as the active ingredient. Microbial pesticides can control many different kinds of pests, although each separate active ingredient is relatively specific for its target pest[s]. For example, there are fungi that control certain weeds, and other fungi that kill specific insects. 2 The most widely used microbial pesticides are subspecies and strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. Each strain of this bacterium produces a different mix of proteins, and specifically kills one or a few related species of insect larvae. While some Bt’s control moth larvae found on plants, other Bt’s are specific for larvae of flies and mosquitoes. The target insect species are determined by whether the particular Bt produces a protein that can bind to a larval gut receptor, thereby causing the insect larvae to starve. 3 Plant-Incorporated-Protectants (PIPs) are pesticidal substances that plants produce from genetic material that has gene for the Bt pesticidal protein, and introduce the gene into the plant’s own genetic material. Then the plant, instead of the Bt bacterium, manufactures the substance that destroys the pest. The protein and its genetic material, but not the plant itself, are regulated by EPA. Biochemical pesticides are naturally occurring substances that control pests by non-toxic mechanisms. Conventional pesticides, by contrast, are generally synthetic materials that directly kill or inactivate the pest. Biochemical pesticides include substances, such as insect sex pheromones that interfere with mating as well as various scented plant extracts that attract insect pests to traps. Because it is sometimes difficult to determine whether a substance meets the criteria for classification as a biochemical pesticide. Biopesticides are usually inherently less toxic than conventional pesticides.They generally affect only the target pest and closely related organisms, in contrast to broad spectrum, conventional pesticides that may affect organisms as different as birds, insects, and mammals. Biopesticides often are effective in very small quantities and often decompose quickly, thereby resulting in lower exposures and largely avoiding the pollution problems caused by conventional pesticides. When used as a component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, biopesticides can greatly decrease the use of conventional pesticides, while crop yields remain high. To use biopesticides effectively, however, users need to know a great deal about managing pests.  Vermicompost is a preferred nutrient source for organic farming. It is eco-friendly, non-toxic, consumes low energy input for composting and is a recycled biological product.

Vermicompost is the product of composting utilizing various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and earthworms to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast. Vermicast, also known as worm castings, worm humus or worm manure, is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by species of earthworm. The earthworm species (or composting worms) most often used are Red Wigglers (Eisenia foetida or Eisenia andrei), though European nightcrawlers (Eisenia hortensis) could also be used. Red wigglers are recommended by most vermiculture experts as they have some of the best appetites and breed very quickly. Users refer to European nightcrawlers by a variety of other names, including dendrobaenas, dendras, and nightcrawlers. This compost is an odorless, clean, organic material containing adequate quantities of N, P, K and several micronutrients essential for plant growth. Recycling of waste Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production.[

 Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy. Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Although similar in effect, the composting or other reuse of biodegradable waste – such as food or garden waste – is not typically considered recycling.[2] Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing. Green Technologies and rural development Number of green technologies today are in operation both in urban and rural areas creating a great deal of impact on social change and clean environment. Among them a solar photovoltaics (PV) in India has transformed the lives of approximately 100,000 people living in poverty-stricken rural regions by providing several hours of uninterrupted lighting every night. This study was conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with an objective to facilitate household financing for solar home systems. Its success has inspired satellite programs to improve energy access in Algeria, China, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, and Mexico. In the absence of alternative energy sources and plagued by the unreliability of local electricity grids, many rural regions in India have had to rely on polluting kerosene lamps and household stoves to meet lighting needs. According to UNEP, a single wick of kerosene can burn up to 80 liters of fuel, emitting more than 250 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year. In developing countries, the use of kerosene and other “dirty” fossil fuels for indoor lighting is responsible for 64 percent of deaths and 81 percent of lifelong disabilities from indoor pollution for children under the age of five. Other studies report that while kerosene and similar fuels contribute 20 percent of global lighting expenses, they supply only 0.1 percent of lighting energy services. The largest barrier to the switch to solar in developing countries has been the lack of financing for clean energy in poor communities. In rural India, where the word ‘electricity’ is still a dream, millions of people do not have access to electricity in their homes and to provide access to electricity in these rural areas through other means, renewable energy like wind power is among the least cost and most feasible solution. In our country, the Mega-size Windmills with blade diameters ranging from 27 m to 54 m has taken off in a big way. However, the concept of harnessing wind power through small size Windmills is still nascent in our country. Small size wind mills with 3 to 6m (10 to 20 ft) blade diameter is one of the most adaptable, flexible and easy to use technology for generating sustainable and cheap electricity. This system is capable of producing power ranging from 500 watts to 5 Kew with an estimated daily electrical energy output of around 4 -10 KW under a mean wind speed of 5 – 10 meter/sec. At places experiencing higher wind speed conditions, the power output may even peak to 7-8 KW albeit for shorter periods. This output is considered sufficient to meet the daily energy requirements of an average rural household, which is normally limited to 2-3 KW per day. The landholding in rural India being very small, a windmill in each farm will not only light up every household but may also make these villages totally self reliant in electricity for water pumping and other agricultural needs. In terms of economics, the capital cost of a large windmill is around Rs 5.5 crore per MW, which translates to approximately Rs 60,000 per KW. In comparison, with a little impetus from the Govt of India towards exploitation of small hybrid wind power technology, the capital cost of a small windmill can be tailored around Rs. 80,000 per KW. For reliable supply of power in remote locations or inaccessible rural areas it is also possible and sometimes necessary to design and set up hybrid system, which combines the advantages of two different energy technologies. These could be either two renewable technologies or a renewable and a conventional energy or fossil technology – a renewable energy (RE) system, say Photo Voltaic or wind, to take care of base load requirements and the conventional systems (say diesel generator) to supplement for peak load requirement. An integrated hybrid system would ensure that power supply can be maintained at an optimum level during cloudy days (for PV system) or low wind conditions (for wind electric generators). Tamil Nadu is the state with the most wind generating capacity: 4906.74 MW at the end of the March 2010. Not far from Aralvaimozhi, the Muppandal wind farm, the largest in the subcontinent, is located near the once impoverished village of Muppandal, supplying the villagers with electricity for work. The village had been selected as the showcase for India’s billion clean energy program which provides foreign companies with tax breaks for establishing fields of wind turbines in the area. Maharashtra is second only to Tamil Nadu in terms of generating capacity. Suzlon has been heavily involved. Suzlon operates what was once Asia’s largest wind farm, the Vankusawade Wind Park (201 MW), near the Koyna reservoir in Satara district of Maharashtra. The Gujarat government, which is banking heavily on wind power, has identified Samana as an ideal location for installation of 450 turbines that can generate a total of 360 MW. To encourage investment in wind energy development in the state, the government has introduced a raft of incentives including a higher wind energy tariff. Samana has a high tension transmission grid and electricity generated by wind turbines can be fed into it. For this purpose, a substation at Sadodar has been installed. Both projects are being executed by Enercon Ltd, a joint venture between Enercon of Germany and Mumbai-based Mehra group. There are many small wind farms in Karnataka, making it one of the states in India which has a high number of wind mill farms. Chitradurga, Gadag are some of the districts where there are a large number of Windmills. Chitradurga alone has over 20000 wind turbines. In consideration of unique concept, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh has sanctioned another 15 MW project to MPWL at Nagda Hills near Dewas. All the 25 WEGs have been commissioned on 31.03.2008 and under successful operation. The first wind farm of the Kerala state was set up at Kanjikode in Palakkad district. It has a generating capacity of 23.00 MW. A new wind farm project was launched with private participation at Ramakkalmedu in Idukki district.

Looking at the importance of biofertilizers, the Government of India launched “National Project on Development and use of biofertilizers in 1983″ Currently more than 100 biofertilizers production units are engaged in commercial production of biofertilizers in India. The poor consumption of biofertilizers in India is due to constraints like poor shelf life, inadequate storage facility. Bio pesticides have been viewed as sound alternative as there are presently 400 biopesticides production unit and the two most popular biopesticides are Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and neem preparation. It has been observed that by using biofertilizers application, the agricultural yield increases between 11 to 16.7 percent. Many farmers are now switching over to use biofertilizer and biopesticdes instead of chemical fertilizers in their agriculture fields to attain sustainable and healthy crop production with better yield. With the societies demand over environmental safety there has also been an increase in the price of chemical insecticides and the resistance of insects to these products. Need has also arisen to reduce residues of toxic chemicals in foodstuffs, especially those for export markets. A strong increase in the sales of organic food as consumers become more health conscious and concerned over their food coupled with higher buying power leading to increase in non-chemical crop protection and total crop care. Green inputs into agriculture include bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, compost, Farm Yard Manure (FYM), green manure etc. As most of these inputs are either not traded and even if they are traded, it is only at informal levels available information regarding production capacity, demand and sales is at best sketchy estimation and hence inadequate. Out of all the green inputs biopesticide and biofertilizer holds a position of importance in the agricultural scenario of India.

Biopesticides in Agriculture are important because • Inherently they are less  harmful than conventional pesticides • Suppress, rather than eliminate, a pest population • Effective and often quickly biodegradable and Present no residue problems. • Mostly self perpetuating

Waste management in India is contributing to a growing problem of disposal that doesn’t have a strong solution in the immediate future. With no proper Indian policies put into place that examine and identify waste in ways that involve recovery and minimizing the impact on humanity and the environment, there exists a trend towards pollution that may expand and get out of hand. Leading researchers and analysts predict that at the rate India is currently going, the country will go from producing less than 40,000 tons of waste annually to over 125,000 tons by the year 2030. This is a tremendous jump in a short period of time, and the problems of the country would aggravate unless proper policy and implementation plans should be in place. . In developed countries such as America, there’s a cyclic process involved that treats waste in a way that minimizes its impact on the environment while getting the most out of it in terms of recycling and energy.

Rural electrification is huge market (around 50% of rural households don’t have access to electricity). The opportunities exist in form of Solar, biomass installations on community levels to micro-utility projects. As per IFC (International Finance Corporation) study rural households in India are most reliable in paying for services. Rural India is commercially viable as shown by telecom sector (30% of new phone connections in India are in rural areas) Rural cooking products. 76% of rural households use wood based choolahs for cooking. Any technology which can improve energy efficiency would be in huge demand. This includes things like EIS (Energy Information System), and smart metering to efficient energy storage technologies. Energy Information systems and real time information systems would be required in utilities to commercial and residential complexes. Technologies like Light Emitting Diodes (LED) would be in demand for energy saving. The cost barriers have to be lowered by economy of scale. Energy efficiency would be necessitated in many countries for compliance reasons, opening up market for new innovative solutions for energy saving. Information and communication technology would be heavily used for energy efficiency and carbon monitoring, creating opportunity in these sectors. Carbon capture and reuse (CCR) solutions , carbon trading and financing, energy audits etc are other opportunities Water and energy are interrelated. Water is biggest problems in India waiting to be solved. 70% of Indian doesn’t have access to safe drinking water. Rural India uses ponds and bore well. Rural India can pay for safe drinking water by setting up of micro-water plants in villages. Water Supply efficiency can be enhanced (30-40% water in urban areas lost in distribution) by building water infrastructure in urban and semi-urban areas, rain water harvesting, waste water treatment, recycling in industries, towns and cities. 

 In order to popularize green technologies in rural sector, at present number of research organizations have focused their R & D activities in following areas • How to reduce the cost and size of solar plants • Need to develop solar thermal power plants and its economics • Trapping energy from wind, tidal waves and marketing • Use of solid waste for production of energy and biofertilizer • Improve quality of biofertilizer and biopesticides • Develop green fuel from various bio-resources Research and Development required Many of the green technologies that are available today we are unable to implement them on large scale due to several technical reasons. Cost effectiveness, quality of the product, lack of financial support, technical expertise, capacity building and man power are some the major constrains where there is a need to do large amount of research work. Following are some of the niche areas of R& D activities for investigation • Solar thermal power • Wave and tidal power • Wind energy • Bioremediation of environment • Algal cultivation and harvesting for bio-fuels • Economics of solar energy • Innovations in bio-fertlizer • Renewable energy resources • Innovation in water conservation • Water pollution treatment through modern science • Innovations in bio-fuels and bio-gas • Innovations in bio-pesticides • Air pollution control • Nanotechnology needs to be tailored for various purposes • Use of nanotechnology to reduce pollution, conserve resources and build clean economy • Nanotech with green chemistry and green engineering holds the key to build an environmentally sustainable society

India’s has large untapped market in energy, water, most of which doesn’t depend upon government regulations. Unlike west, India has energy/water deficit, creating opportunities to plug the gap through greentech. Creating Superior technology or superior access to customers is going to be the key. Clean technology entrepreneurs have to think of scale. 20* 5 MW plants not 1 MW plant. Currently there are very few green technology entrepreneurs in India Rural market is active. Think of delivery networks for electrification and water supply and other such services. In short clean technology or Green technology is going to be big in future. It is going to make commercial sense than just emotional and environmental sense. There is no way but clean way in future. Cost in future would not be just cost as we know today but total cost of ownership. Anything which we have designed till now can potentially be redesigned for efficiency. Carbon foot reduction would mean re-looking at entire supply chain of products. There would be opportunities in chain for efficiency and CC reduction which can translate into commercial gains. Some Indian Greentech Startups There are many industries who have taken initiative in developing green technologies. For example • Axon Biogencis – Waste to energy • Energos technologies – Energy management and Control system • EnNatura -Clean material Startup • GridPlex – Internet based smart grid solution • Nandan biomatrix Limited – Jatropha based bio-diesel production • Sedemac Mechtronics – Energy efficient products for automotive business • Surya ventures – Biomass coogeneration systemBottom of Form Strategies and action plan • Need to establish National Green Technology Council to accelerate the development of green technology in the country. • Formulate strategies and policies as well as provide direction for the implementation of Green Technology • To create awareness of clean technologies and their applications in rural sector for overall development, we need to focus on higher education in green technology • To monitor the effectiveness of the implementation of the National Green Technology Policy • To lead initiatives in the area of Green Technology in the country • Strengthening of the institutional framework 

 In conclusion, green technology can definitely create an impact on overall development of urban, semi-urban and also rural sector in particular. It will also strengthen economy and social status of the community particularly people who are living below poverty line. By implementing GT there will be ample opportunities for employment and income generating ways and means for poor people. Natural resources can also be conserved and maintained on sustainable basis. In this context Professor A P J Abdul kalam, has said, “I have visited hundreds of cities across the world but not one of them comes close to my ideal. So what is the profile of my dream city. It have a population of not more than five million, generate its own power through green resources, be a vibrant economy where every one has access to clean energy and clean water, use bio-fuel and insist on rain harvesting, and is full of parks and trees. It should be the flag bearer of eco-friendly habitats, which aim at complete carbon neutrality”.

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Green Technology- Environmental Protection and Preservation

The True Bio Electric helps eco-minded businesses and consumer’s crossways the nations economize money while saving the environment. In the midst of a serious economical climate, concerns over worldwide warming and depleting natural resources tend to take backseat to anxieties agile occupying fiscal resourcefulness’s. But the enterprises of the True Bio Electric-or TBE for short-prove that Filipinos wanting to be more conservative with their money can in reality benefit from taking steps to economize the environment.

For the TBE, “going green” entails to a greater extent than merely decorous eco-friendly. It implies becoming eco-efficient, too. At the core of the TBE organization is a platform of green initiatives -essentially, specific and cost-efficient undertakings that business enterprises can contract on their course to sustainability. The TBE’s founder, Ronald Shane Flynn, conceives that “mindless green washing” has gone an interpersonal epidemic, so he sought to put up businesses a practical and financially plan for turning environmentally responsible that taken more than just a bunch of planet-saving technologies.

So what causes the TBE’s program of initiatives so different? “Every initiative our member businesses experience has comprising designed to issue the maximum benefit for the surroundings while belittling the level of effort and investment. And each set of recommendations has also been specifically chaste to the goals and postulates of that person business,” “Essentially, calculating the equation for delivering your business the most environmental bang for its buck.”

The TBE has established out to prove that costs environmentally honorable and commercially successful are actually reciprocally positive, rather than complementary, goals. It is reasonably of an oxymoron-he’s a business-savvy entrepreneur and soulful environmentalist all at once. Those characters led him to learned an organization that would enable a broader base of businesses to participate in sustainable exercises by contributing them not only informational resources-a straightforward “roadmap” for carrying through those practices-but also cost-saving incentives

If the TBE system of greening the thriftiness takes off, consumers who have reluctantly curbed spending on eco-friendly commodities in an effort to retain their pocketbooks intact may be enjoyably surprised to learn that green products are getting increasingly affordable as more companies put eco-efficiency into praxis. Businesses that gone certified by the TBE can reach out to this growing base of eco-aware consumers by letting their customers know that they’ve been established for their commitment to sustainability by a nationwide, third-party organization. (To help get the word out, the TBE provides member businesses with a TBE seal to expose in their storefront or on their website, in addition to listing them in their online directory of green-certified businesses.)

Recent commercializing studies show that even in challenging economic times, consumers prefer to buy green products. When it follows to our economy, it appears that green is the color of the future. The TBE is on to something big. Merely they’re making it easy for businesses to achieve this big goal by taking small steps. With this move to combine energy efficiency promotes with a very fundamental in sagely conquering the extra environmental benefits while also amending their fiscal issues.

 

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Green Technology

what is the green technology mean???such like going green or somethin’…maybe below we can find out why it called The green technology..just try to shared some information that i get unconsciously when i type word green in google… checitout yo!

The term “technology” refers to the application of knowledge for practical purposes.

The field of “green technology” encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products.

The present expectation is that this field will bring innovation and changes in daily life of similar magnitude to the “information technology” explosion over the last two decades. In these early stages, it is impossible to predict what “green technology” may eventually encompass.

The goals that inform developments in this rapidly growing field include:

Sustainability – meeting the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources. In short, meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

“Cradle to cradle” design – ending the “cradle to grave” cycle of manufactured products, by creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used.

Source reduction – reducing waste and pollution by changing patterns of production and consumption.

Innovation – developing alternatives to technologies – whether fossil fuel or chemical intensive agriculture – that have been demonstrated to damage health and the environment.

Viability – creating a center of economic activity around technologies and products that benefit the environment, speeding their implementation and creating new careers that truly protect the planet.

Examples of green technology subject areas

Energy
Perhaps the most urgent issue for green technology, this includes the development of alternative fuels, new means of generating energy and energy efficiency.

Green building
Green building encompasses everything from the choice of building materials to where a building is located.

Environmentally preferred purchasing
This government innovation involves the search for products whose contents and methods of production have the smallest possible impact on the environment, and mandates that these be the preferred products for government purchasing.

Green chemistry
The invention, design and application of chemical products and processes to reduce or to eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

Green nanotechnology
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at the scale of the nanometer, one billionth of a meter. Some scientists believe that mastery of this subject is forthcoming that will transform the way that everything in the world is manufactured. “Green nanotechnology” is the application of green chemistry and green engineering principles to this field.

I still confused…but i know its a good vision and mission to run..

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House Plans with Sustainable Design

The purpose~intention~design~aim of sustainable design is to eliminate~extinguish~reject negative~disconfirming~damaging impact~wallop~shock~affect on the environment~environs~surround~surroundings through sensitive, skillful~adept~proficient~good~skilful design. Sustainable design has minimal~minimum impact~wallop~encroachment~shock on the environment, requires no non-renewable resources, and relates people with nature. Sustainable design requires forethought in site selection, home building plans, material selection, and project implementation. Some of the considerations to be taken into account include choosing non-toxic materials which are sustainably produced or recycled, and require minimal energy to process; using materials which are longer lasting and of higher durability, to reduce the impact of producing replacements; designing for reuse and recycling; and designing systems on biological lines, to enable the reuse of materials in continuous closed cycles. The basic idea is to create healthy homes, which are not harmful to the occupants or the larger environment.

Sustainable standards of new home plans design are being developed by a large number of private and governmental organizations, and there is a growing body of new methods emerging from the rapid rise of sustainability science. Sustainable technology means~agency~way using less energy and fewer limited~circumscribed~modified resources, not depleting natural resources, not polluting the environment either directly or indirectly, and designing for reuse and recycling at the end of useful life. Sustainable architecture tries to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing and transporting building components both during the process of construction and also during the life of the building. Sustainable design aims for efficiency in heating and cooling such as ground source heat pumps; using alternative energy sources such as appropriate home siting and solar technology to heat water and generate electricity; recycling building materials and using local materials where possible; harvesting rainwater for washing and gardening; and on-site waste management. Waste management is as much a matter of prevention as elimination, and sustainable waste management involves using products which are non-toxic and minimize waste to begin with; can be composted or digested anaerobically; can be reused on site, or recycled off site.

Sustainable new house plans design technology is based upon using renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy, solar, hydro, wind and bioenergy. Wind energy, captured through wind turbines, is the fastest growing energy source in the world: used for centuries in Europe, it is now gaining popularity in America. Solar energy can be harnessed through the use of photovoltaics to generate electricity, and by using passive solar hot water heaters to bathe and to heat homes. The basic test for sustainable design is whether it can function unplugged – without using fossil fuel. This means eliminating pollution altogether rather than just reducing it. These goals are being realized already: in 2004 a 59-home housing community was unveiled in Freiburg, Germany which is the first community in the world in which every home produces a positive energy balance. Sustainable design also means constructing furniture and appliances of renewable and recyclable materials such as glass, steel, and aluminum; and designing them for repair and recycling.

Sustainable design in new home plans involves all phases of home building plans, from site selection and orientation to choice of scheme and building materials. Sustainable new house plans make good economic and environmental sense, and insure prosperity for future generations.

You can find more tips about sustainable designs and other great news and advices about home improvement on our article on http://www.plantasdecasasgratis.net/casa-lar/projetos-de-sobrados.

For more informations about sustainable designs, take a look on our blog on http://www.plantasdecasasgratis.net.

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