Glossary

Acid hydrolysis
Chemical process in which acid is used to convert cellulose or starch into sugar.

Acre
An area measurements equal to 0.40 hectare, or 4,047 m².

Aerobic 
Processes or life that can occur only with oxygen present.

Alcohol
Class of hydrocarbons containing a hydroxyl group (OH). A term often used interchangeably with "ethanol"; however there are many types of alcohol.

Algae
Aquatic, eukaryotic, photosynthetic organisms, ranging in size from single-cell algae (microalgae) to large multicellular algae (macroalgae), like giant kelp. Note: The term “Algae” is often loosely used to refer collectively to microalgae and cyanobacteria.

Alkanes
Saturated hydrocarbons, containing only single bonds, have the general chemical formula, C_nH_2n+2. The simplest alkane is methane, CH₄. Alkanes are the main components in gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and natural gas.

Alternative fuel
As defined in the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) includes methanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied propane gas, hydrogen, coal-derived liquid fuels, fuels other than alcohols derived from biological materials, electricity, biodiesel, and any other fuel deemed to be composed not from petroleum and yielding energy security and environmental benefits.

Anaerobic
Processes or life that can occur only without oxygen present.

ARPA-E
ARPA-E (Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy) is a branch of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that funds high-risk/high-reward energy projects.

Biochemical conversion
Use of living organisms or their products to convert organic material into fuels, chemicals or other products.

Biodegradable
Indicates material is capable of being broken down by the action of living things, like microorganisms.

Biodiesel
Biofuel produced through the process of transesterification, where organically-derived oils are combined with alcohol (ethanol or methanol) in the presence of a catalyst to form ethyl or methyl esters, which can be blended with conventional diesel fuel or used directly as 100% biodiesel). Biodiesel can be made from soybean oils, animal fats, waste vegetable oils or microalgal oils.

Bioenergy
Renewable energy produced from organic matter. Process involves conversion of complex carbohydrates in organic matter to energy. 

Biofuels
Fuels made from biomass that include ethanol, biodiesel and methanol.

Biogas
Combustible gas from decomposing biological waste, normally with 50 to 60% methane.

Biomass
Renewable organic matter such as agricultural crops and residue, wood and wood waste, animal waste, aquatic plants and organic components of municipal and industrial wastes.

Biotechnology
Technology that uses living organisms to produce products, such as medicines, wines, and cheese. In modern parlance it refers to the use of recombinant DNA technologies to engineer plants, animals, or microorganisms.

Carbohydrate
A chemical compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Includes sugars, cellulose, and starches.

Carbon Dioxide
Chemical formula: CO₂ It is a product of combustion and the most common greenhouse gas.

Carbon Sequestration
Absorption and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, predominantly by plants.

Cellulose  
Molecule composed of glucose molecules. Plants use this polysaccharide in their cell walls to strengthen the support structure. Cellulose is not easily broken down by human or animal enzymes.

Chloroplast
Cellular organelle (compartment) in plant and algal cells that house the photosynthetic machinery. It is also where fatty acid synthesis occurs in plants and algae.

Compost
Nutrient-rich mixture that is composed primarily of decayed plant material.

Conversion efficiency
Comparison of output of useful energy to potential energy contained in the fuel.

Cyanobacteria
Oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria with a similar photosynthetic machinery as in plant chloroplasts that contains two phosystems. Previously also known as blue-green algae. Note: The term “Algae” is often loosely used to collectively refer to microalgae and cyanobacteria.

DOE
U.S. Department of Energy.

Energy crops
Crops grown specifically for their fuel value, including food and nonfood crops.

Environmental impact statement (EIS)
Statement of environmental effects of proposed action and alternative actions. Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act requires an EIS for major federal actions.

Enzymatic hydrolysis
Process by which enzymes are used to break down compounds, like starch or cellulose into sugar.

Ethanol
Ethyl alcohol produced by fermentation and distillation with the chemical formula, CH₃CH₂0H formed during sugar fermentation by microbes. Also termed grain alcohol.

Feedstock
Any material that can be converted to another form of fuel or energy product.

Fermentation
Biological conversion of biomass by microbes to sugar, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol.

Fuel
Any material that can be converted to energy.

Genetic Engineering
Modifying the genetic makeup of an organism by introducing or inactivating genes using recombinant DNA technologies.

Glucose
Sweet, colorless, six-carbon sugar C6H12O6. It is a carbohydrate that is referred to as a monosaccharide because it cannot be broken down into simpler units by hydrolysis. It is the most common, naturally occurring sugar and the sugar most commonly fermented to ethanol.

GMO
Genetically Modified Organism, also known as a transgenic (organism) that is created through the use of genetic engineering technologies.

Green Chemistry 
A new term relating to the design of chemical products and processes that are aimed at reducing or eliminating the use or generation of hazardous materials.

Green Diesel
Diesel produced by hydrogenation of vegetable oil, also known as renewable diesel.

Greenhouse effect
Warming of the earth and its atmosphere, caused by greenhouse gases and water vapor that trap heat from the sun.

Greenhouse gases
Gases that trap the heat of the sun in the Earth´s atmosphere, producing greenhouse effects. Major greenhouse gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide, but also include methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide.

Hectare
A hectare (ha) is an area measurement that is equal to 2.47 acres, or 10,000 m². (One ha is roughly the size of a standard soccer field, or twice that of an American football field).

Herbicide
Chemical used to kill unwanted vegetation.

Hydrocarbon
An organic compound containing only hydrogen and carbon. Examples are alkanes and terpenes.

Hydrolysis
Chemical reaction taking place between a compound and a molecule of water.

Inorganic compounds
Compounds lacking carbon that do not have the organized anatomical structure of animal or vegetable life.

Isoprene
Isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) is the five-carbon building block in isoprenoids and terpenes.

Isoprenoids
Isoprenoids are a large and diverse family of organic compounds derived from five-carbon isoprene units, also called terpenoids.

Lignin
Amorphous polymer that, with cellulose, forms cell walls of woody plants and acts as a bond between cells.

Methane
Odorless, colorless, flammable gas that is primary constituent of natural gas. Chemical formula: CH₄

Methanol
Methyl alcohol usually produced by chemical conversion at high temperatures and pressures. Also called wood alcohol. Chemical formula: CH₃OH

Microalgae
Single-cell algae.

Monosaccharides
Single, sugars that are the most basic units of biologically important carbohydrates.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
1969 Federal law requiring all federal agencies to consider and analyze the environmental impacts of any proposed action, significantly affecting the quality of the environment.

Natural gas
Mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane, occurring naturally in the earth that is used as fuel.

Organic compounds
Chemical compounds, based on carbon, and also containing hydrogen, with or without oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements.

Oxidation
Loss of electrons, the gain of oxygen atoms, or the loss of hydrogen atoms.  Oxidation of carbon looks like this:
C + O₂ -> CO₂

Polysaccharide 
A large carbohydrate molecule, composed of repeating sugar units, that can be broken down by hydrolysis into two or more monosaccharides.

Pyrolysis
Using high temperatures to decompose biomass at high temperatures in the absence of air. End product is a mixture of solids (called char), liquids (oxygenated oils), and gases (methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide). 

Renewable Diesel
Diesel produced by hydrogenation of vegetable oil, also known as green diesel.

Renewable energy source
Energy source that can be renewed continuously in nature or that is replaced through natural means after use. Renewable energy sources include the sun, winds, flowing water, biomass and geothermal energy.

Starch
A polymer molecule composed of long chains of α-glucose molecules linked together in repeating units of C₁₂H₁₆O₅. Plants store glucose for their energy needs in this polysaccharide. Starch can be easily broken down by human and animal enzyme systems. It is converted completely back into glucose via acid hydrolysis.

Stover
Plant residue remaining after harvesting, consisting of leaves and stalks.

Sustainable ecosystem
Condition in which biodiversity, renewability, and resource productivity are maintained over time.

Terpenes
Terpenes, like terpenoids, are composed of five-carbon isoprene units. Although terpenes and terpenoids are often used interchangeably, terpenes are simply hydrocarbons, whereas some terpenoids may contain oxygen.

Terpenoids
Terpenoids are a large and diverse family of organic compounds derived from five-carbon isoprene units, also called isoprenoids.

Transgenic
Organism that has been altered by genetic engineering.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Non-methane hydrocarbon gases that are released during combustion or evaporation of fuel.

Volatiles
Readily vaporized substances.

Some terms modified from http://www.oregon.gov/energy/RENEW/Pages/glossary.aspx#nepa

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