Tech2 Free Issues of ForbesMAR 30, 2015 @ 11:43
PM4,283VIEWSResearch Confirms That Carbon Dioxide Led To Higher
Temperatures In The Past
Alex KnappFORBES STAFFOver the past 400,000 years, the amount of
carbon dioxide in the Earths atmosphere has periodically
fluctuated, and along with it, so have global temperatures. When
the concentration of CO2 has increased, global temperatures have
also seen an increase and vice versa.For Further Reading:Research
Confirms That Carbon Dioxide Led To Higher Temperatures In The
Past.http://www.forbes.com//research-confirms-that-carbon-diox/Comments
Anumakonda Jagadeesh Facebook 26 May 2015PLANT CAM PLANTS LIKE
AGAVE AND OPUNTIA TO REDUCE HIGH TEMPERATURES.Excellent.It is a
tragedy hundreds of deaths took place even in temperatures below 45
degrees Celsius. There were places in Andhra Pradesh like
Rentachintala which experience high temperatures in summer.In
Rajasthan to face hot temperatures people use neem leaves on
head.Common sense tells us that CAM plants act as Carbon Sink.
Crassulacean acid metabolism, also known asCAM photosynthesis, is
acarbon fixationpathway that evolved in someplantsas an adaptation
toaridconditions. In a plant using full CAM, thestomatain the
leaves remain shut during the day to reduceevapotranspiration, but
open at night to collectcarbon dioxide(CO2). The CO2is stored as
the four-carbon acidmalateinvacuolesat night, and then in the
daytime, the malate is transported tochloroplastswhere it is
converted back to CO2, which is then used during photosynthesis.
The pre-collected CO2is concentrated around the enzymeRuBisCO,
increasingphotosynthetic efficiency. That is why they occur
naturally in desert regions.Thanks to the wonders of nature we have
care free growth,regenerative CAM plants like Agave and Opuntia
which acts as Carbon Sink.Traditionally Agave(Small size) and
Opuntia(Small sizes) are placed in front of the compound in pots.
Also they are tied on the sunshade before entrance. To give it more
religious importance they are claimed to dispel DISHTI(Bad glances
from eyes.) There is more science in this. Both are CAM plants and
they act as Carbon Sink.Carbion Dioxide emission has a direct
influence of rise in temperatures. How is it that heat waves are
claimimng hundreds of lives even at 43 degrees Celsius which is
common in Andhra Pradesh?
Government of AP and Union Government can take steps to plant
Agave and Opuntia in a massive scale in waste lands and to
encourage every household to go in for CAM Plants like Agave and
Opuntia(Small omnes) in pots. Last week I was in Newjersey and
found Agave plants in pots before the houses.
Apart from acting as Carbon Sink these CAM plants are source of
Bioenergy.Bio Energy as Alternate Fuel - An Action Plan for
IndiaAgave tequilana weber may yield up to 2,000 gallons of
distilled ethanol per acre per year and from 12,000-18,000 gallons
per acre per year if their cellulose is included, some 14 dry tons
of feedstock per acre every year.These figures far outshine the
plants that are dominating ethanol and bio fuels R&D and
investment today, not only in terms of potential ethanol yield per
acre, but also in terms of energy balance (the ratio of energy in
the product to the energy input to produce it), as well as actual
and prospective planted acreage.Corn ethanol, for example, has an
energy balance ratio of 1.3 and produces approximately 300-400
gallons of ethanol per acre. Soybean bio diesel with an energy
balance of 2.5, typically can yield 60 gallons of bio diesel per
acre while an acre of sugar cane can produce 600-800 gallons of
ethanol with an energy balance of 8.0. An acre of poplar trees can
yield more than 1,500 gallons of cellulosic ethanol with an energy
balance of 12.0, according to a National Geographic study published
in October 2007.According to Arturo Velez, Agave Expert:On an
annualized basis agave produces 3X more distilled ethanol than
sugar cane in Brasil; 6X more distilled ethanol than yellow corn in
the US; at least 3X more cellulosic ethanol than switchgrass or
poplar tree. Producing one gallon of distilled ethanol from agave
costs at the most half the cost of one gallon from sugar cane and
one fourth of corn's production cost.One hectare of Agave captures
at least 5X more CO2 than one hectare of the fastest growing
Eucalyptus on a high density plantation and in one single year
agave produces the same cellulose pulp Eucalyptus produces in 5
years..CAM species such as Agave show considerable promise as a
biofuel crop for the future due to their high water-use efficiency,
tolerance to abiotic stress (e.g., drought and high temperatures),
and potential for high biomass production on marginal lands .The
optimal use of water to grow a selected feedstock is of critical
importance because water scarcity, more than any other factor,
determines whether land is suitable for growing food crops. Thus,
growing plants with high water-use efficiency on land that is too
dry to grow food crops is a potentially powerful strategy for
producing biomass feed stocks in large amounts while minimizing
competition with the food supply. Additionally, making productive
use of semi-arid land can have positive effects on poor rural
areas. The water-use efficiency (WUE) value (grams CO2
fixed/kilogram water transpired) varies markedly among plants with
different types of photosynthetic metabolism. C3 plants typically
have WUE values of 13; C4 plants, between 2 and 5; whereas
crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants have values between 10
and 40. Therefore, CAM plants can be cultivated in arid or
semi-arid land normally unsuitable for the cultivation of most C3
and C4 crops. It is exceedingly unlikely that a C3 or C4 plant
could be developed, with or without genetic modification, with
water-use efficiency approaching that of CAM plants.Moreover, CAM
plants are native to essentially every state in the USA except
Alaska, although they are prominent parts of ecosystems only in the
Southwest.In spite of this potential, CAM plants have received much
less systematic study or development as energy crops relative to
inherently less water-efficient plants such as corn (maize),
sugarcane, switch grass Miscanthus, poplar, sugar beets, Jatropha,
soy, and canola.Cellulose content is far more in Agave Americana
compared to Deciduous Wood,sugarcane,wheat straw,corn stover and
switch grass while lignin content is far less in Agave Americana as
compared to the others mentioned.A group of Mexican researchers
believe they've discovered what they call the "missing energy
crop," and though it hasn't exactly been missing-it grows
abundantly in Mexico and in some southern U.S. and South American
locations-these scientists claim agave possesses characteristics
superior to other feedstocks currently being examined for biofuel
purposes, such as cellulosic ethanol production.Agave is arguably
one of the most significant plants in Mexican culture. It has a
rosette of thick fleshy leaves, each of which usually end in a
sharp point with a spiny margin, and is commonly mistaken for
cacti.President Barack Obamas Plan to tackle Climate Change
includes, The US will increase its research and development of bio
ethanol as fuel. I believe biomass and ethanol are a part of the
solution and belong in the green transition. Yet bio fuels and
ethanol are many things. Not all are green and not all are
sustainable in the broadest sense. For bio ethanol to belong in the
green economy it has to deliver substantial greenhouse gas savings
and avoid negative impact on food prices. Only then will it be good
business for farmers and good for the climate. The technology is
available and ready to be scaled up. Second generation bio ethanol
is an emerging market with the potential to reduce 85 pct. of CO2
emission compared to regular fossil fuels in transportation. It is
also a local resource increasing energy independence and creating
local jobs in agriculture, factories and logistics.. It is most
welcome.Hitherto Corn and Sugarcane are used in the biofuel
production. In the debate on FOOD Vs FUEL, it is necessary to find
alternatives.Agave has a huge advantage, as it can grow in marginal
or desert land, not on arable land, and therefore would not
displace food crops, says Oliver Inderwildi, at the University of
Oxford. The majority of ethanol produced in the world is still
derived from food crops such as corn and sugarcane. Speculators
have argued for years now that using such crops for fuel can drive
up the price of food.Agave, however, can grow on hot dry land with
a high-yield and low environmental impact. The researchers
proposing the plants use have modeled a facility in Jalisco,
Mexico, which converts the high sugar content of the plant into
ethanol.The research, published in the journal Energy and
Environmental Science, provides the first ever life-cycle analysis
of the energy and greenhouse gas balance of producing ethanol with
agave. Each megajoule of energy produced from the agave-to-ethanol
process resulted in a net emission of 35 grams of carbon dioxide,
far below the 85g/MJ estimated for corn ethanol production. Burning
gasoline produces roughly 100g/MJ.The characteristics of the agave
suit it well to bioenergy production, but also reveal its potential
as a crop that is adaptable to future climate change, adds
University of Oxford plant scientist Andrew Smith. In a world where
arable land and water resources are increasingly scarce, these are
key attributes in the food versus fuel argument, which is likely to
intensify given the expected large-scale growth in biofuel
production.Agave already appeared to be an interesting bio ethanol
source due to its high sugar content and its swift growth. For the
first time Researchers at the universities of Oxford and Sydney
have now conducted the first life-cycle analysis of the energy and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of agave-derived ethanol and present
their promising results in the journal Energy & Environmental
Science.On both life cycle energy and GHG emissions agave scores at
least as well as corn, switch grass and sugarcane, while reaching a
similar ethanol output. The big advantages agave has over the
before mentioned plants is that it can grow in dry areas and on
poor soil, thus practically eliminating their competition with food
crops and drastically decreasing their pressure on water
resources.Plants which use crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM),
which include the cacti and Agaves, are of particular interest
since they can survive for many months without water and when water
is available they use it with an efficiency that can be more than
10 times that of other plants, such as maize, sorghum, miscanthus
and switchgrass. CAM species include no major current or potential
food crops; they have however for centuries been cultivated for
alcoholic beverages and low-lignin fibres.They may therefore also
be ideal for producing biofuels on land unsuited for food
production.In Mxico, there are active research programs and
stakeholders investigating Agave spp. as a bioenergy feedstock. The
unique physiology of this genus has been exploited historically for
the sake of fibers and alcoholic beverages, and there is a wealth
of knowledge in the country of Mxico about the life history,
genetics, and cultivation of Agave. The State of Jalisco is the
denomination of origin of Agave tequilana Weber var. azul, a
cultivar primarily used for the production of tequila that has been
widely researched to optimize yields. Other cultivars of Agave
tequilana are grown throughout Mxico, along with the Agave
fourcroydes Lem., or henequen, which is an important source of
fiber that has traditionally been used for making ropes. The high
sugar content of Agave tequilana may be valuable for liquid fuel
production, while the high lignin content of Agave fourcroydes may
be valuable for power generation through combustion.Along with
Agave species described above, some other economically important
species include A. salmiana, A. angustiana, A. americana, and A.
sisalana. Agave sisalana is not produced in Mxico, but has been an
important crop in regions of Africa and Australia. Information
collected here could thus be relevant to semi-arid regions around
the world.Agave is a CAM Plant. Crassulacean acid metabolism, also
known as CAM photosynthesis, is a carbon fixation pathway that
evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions in a
plant using full CAM, the stomata in the leaves remains shut during
the day to reduce evapotranspiration, but open at night to collect
carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 is stored as the four-carbon
acidmalate, and then used during photosynthesis during the day. The
pre-collected CO2 is concentrated around the enzyme RuBisCO,
increasing photosynthetic efficiency. Agave and Opuntia are the
best CAM Plants.Agave Competitive Advantages* Thrives on dry
land/marginal land. Most efficient use of soil, water and light*
Massive production. Year-around harvesting* Very high yields with
very low or no inputs* Very high quality biomass and sugars* Very
low cost of production. Not a commodity, so prices are not
volatile* Very versatile: biofuels, byproducts, chemicals*
World-wide geographical distribution* Enhanced varieties are
ready.Another plant of great use is OPUNTIA for biofuel / biogas
production.The cultivation of nopal((OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA), a type
of cactus, is one of the most important in Mexico. According to
Rodrigo Morales, Chilean engineer, Wayland biomass, installed on
Mexican soil, allows you to generate inexhaustible clean energy.
Through the production of biogas, it can serve as a raw material
more efficiently, by example and by comparison with
jatropha.Wayland Morales, head of Elqui Global Energy argues that
an acre of cactus produces 43 200 m3 of biogas or the equivalent in
energy terms to 25,000 liters of diesel. With the same land planted
with jatropha, he says, it will produce 3,000 liters of
biodiesel.Another of the peculiarities of the nopal is biogas which
is the same molecule of natural gas, but its production does not
require machines or devices of high complexity. Also, unlike
natural gas, contains primarily methane (75%), carbon dioxide (24%)
and other minor gases (1%), so it has advantages from the technical
point of view since it has the same capacity heat but is cleaner,
he says, and as sum datum its calorific value is 7,000
kcal/m3.Javier Snchez et al in their extensive study on Opuntia as
potential input for bioethanol concluded:Prickly pear is a
widely-known crop in the SE of Spain, where it is currently used
for forage, fodder and fruit. Now it is being considered as a
potential crop for bioethanol production from its whole biomass. In
order to estimate the potential bioethanol production in the
province of Almeria (SE-Spain) and the optimal location of
bioethanol processing plants, a GIS analysis involving a predictive
yield model of pricklypear biomass was undertaken following
specific restriction criteria. According to this analysis, the
total potential bioethanol production in Almeria would be up to
502,927.8 t dmyear1 from 100,616 ha maximum that could be
cultivated with prickly pear, with a calculated yield ranging
between 4.2 and 9.4 t dmha1year1. An exclusive suitability analysis
and a preferable suitability analysis based on theAnalytic
Hierarchy Process were performed in order to estimate the optimal
location of the subsequent processing plants within Almerias road
network by a discrete location-allocation model.(Javier Snchez ,
Francisco Snchez , Mara Dolores Curt & Jess Fernndez (2012)
Assessment of the bioethanol potential of prickly pear (Opuntia
ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) biomass obtained from regular crops in the
province of Almeria (SE Spain), Israel Journal of Plant Sciences,
60:3, 301-318).In the developing countries like India which has
vast waste land Opuntia can be grown along with Agave for
Biofuel/Biogas and subsequent power generation.Agave and Opuntia
can be grown in huge areas of waste lands in Developing countries
like India. Another route of power production is biogas generation
from Agave as well as Opuntia. Biogas power generators are
commercially available. This way power can be generated at local
level with local resources. Both agave and Opuntia are regenerative
plants.Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),IndiaE-mail:
[email protected]
Source: Internet
Opuntia Farm
Biogas from Opuntia
Agave Farm
CAM Plants in my House since Years(Nellore,India)
ASIAHundreds die in India heat waveDeath toll from severe heat
wave reportedly crosses 500, with the country's southern states the
worst affected.25 May 2015 16:38 GMT| The government of Andhra
Pradesh has declared the situation caused by the heat wave as
"alarming" [AFP]The death toll from a severe heat wave has risen to
500 in India, with at least 470 of the deaths reported in India's
two southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.Hospitals in
both states were flooded with patients suffering from sun stroke
and dehydration from the intense heat, as the weather office
predicted similar conditions for the next two weeks.The situation
has been aggravated further with frequent power cuts.Some people
complained that the water supply at the hospital in Visakhapatnam
city of Andhra Pradeshwas irregular, and fans were not
functioning.The government of Andhra Pradesh had last week declared
the situation caused by the heat wave was "alarming" and appealed
to people not to venture out between 11am and 4pm.The chief
minister of the state also announced it would deliver aid of one
lakh rupees ($1572) to the families of victims of heat
wave.HumidityAl Jazeera's senior weather presenter, Rob McElwee,
said: Temperatures this high occur elsewhere in the world and are
survivable, but its the level of humidity which causes heat
stress."Chennais 42C on Monday was accompanied by 43 percent
relative humidity. These two figures together, temperature and
humidity, create a dangerous heat stress environment.Meanwhile,
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials in southern
Hyderabad city said that the acute heat would continue for the next
two weeks."In coastal Andhra Pradesh, the temperature now in most
of the districts is between 43 and 47C. In Telangana (a
neighbouring state), most of the places recorded 40 to 45C. Severe
heat wave conditions persist in both states. This is expected to
continue today and tomorrow. After that, both the states would get
some relief as we expect rainfall.Temperatures would fall by three
to four degrees but the relief would only be temporary. This type
of heat wave would continue till the onset of monsoon over the
southern coast," said IMD assistant director, M Narasimha Rao, in
Hyderabad.He added that the monsoon, which was expected to hit the
southern Kerala coast on May 30, would reach Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana by the first week of June, providing respite to
people.The twin southern states have so far been the worst affected
from this year's heat wave.India has long-suffered deadly heat
waves and periods of extreme temperatures have led to thousands of
deaths since the 1990s.Northern, western and central parts of India
suffer intense heat waves from mid-April to July before monsoon
rains hit the region and provide relief.Source:Al Jazeera And
Reuters
Comments
Anumakonda Jagadeesh Facebook 26 May 2015Aljazeera English
WebsiteCAM plants like Agave and Opuntia which are care free
growth,regenerative which will act as Carbon Sink.Each household
may be encouraged to grow these plants in pots in houses and can be
grown on a massive scale in vast waste lands which will act as
input for biofuel/biogas/biochar.Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP)