Environment GK Questions and Answers for Civil Services Examination

Its a bioreactor system that intends to grow algae for growing algae for the production of Fish Feed, Proteins and Biofuel World Health Energy Holdings, Inc, a public holding company developing joint venture partnerships for algae production for biodiesel and commercial fish food, has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent with Prime Inc, an Indian Industrial and transport Company, to develop a biodiesel production facility ramping up to 250 acres with a budget of up to 100 million dollars.The proposed sites for development are in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, India and will utilize an Algae Enhancement Technology, known as the GB3000 system, used for growing algae for the production of Fish Feed, Proteins and Biofuel in the Territory of India. Prime Inc. India’s current clients include: Exon, Shell, General Electric (GE) and Siemens. The GB3000 is a unique bioreactor system intended to grow algae for oil and protein at a cost of $60,000 per dunam, i.e., $240,000 per acre.

None of them
This type of questions will need an alert mind in those two hours on May 20. I just wanted to know whether you have read somewhere about Bioenergy or not. We should know that Developments in bioenergy will have a major implication on the land use patterns. One of the greatest environmental concerns related to biofuel expansion is the deforestation and land clearing. The increase in area used for bioenergy feedstock cultivation would come from a variety of other land uses such as forestry and agriculture. In this question , all statements are incorrect. The potential role of biomass within sustainable national energy systems is under discussion globally, and especially liquid biofuels for transport receive significant attention. In general, environmental impacts of bioenergy are considered smaller than those of conventional (fossil and nuclear) energy systems, as renewable biomass is CO2-neutral when burnt, the resource base can be maintained if harvested biomass is re-grown, and residues easily decompose or can be recycled. Bioenergy can have positive employment and income effects, and could increase security of supply. Still, bioenergy crops can cause land-use change with severe environmental impacts, e.g. biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions, and might negative impact water resources and soil. Recently Greenpeace raised this issue. In a report, it said that Forest bioenergy threatens the health of our forests and will harm the global climate for decades to come. The amount of wood being burnt in power plants or turned into liquid fuels is growing exponentially without the public’s knowledge and little government oversight or regulation. Greenpeace is concerned that the growing demand for trees associated with the bioenergy boom will drastically increase pressure on forests and out compete the traditional forest products sector, particularly with respect to available wood supply and the development of new products and jobs.

Green Tags are market based instruments which are provided for generation of renewable energy Renewable Energy Certificate is a market based instrument which enables the obligated entities to meet their Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO). Pertinently, the renewable purchase obligation is the obligation mandated by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) under the Electricity Act, to purchase a minimum level of renewable energy out of the total consumption in the area of a distribution licensee. The REC mechanism also aims at encouraging competition and eventually mainstreaming renewable energy sources. Please read this article:
https://www.gktoday.in/energy-current-affairs/understanding-renewable-energy-certificate-mechanism/

Only 1 & 2
Butanol is considered to be a better biofuel than ethanol because it’s less corrosive and has a higher caloric value, giving it a higher energy value. Like ethanol, butanol is being considered as an additive to gasoline. It is easily blended with gasoline for use in today’s gasoline-powered vehicles. Under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations, biobutanol can be blended as an oxygenate with gasoline in concentrations up to 11.5 percent by volume. Biobutanol proponents claim that gasoline-powered vehicles can be fueled with biobutanol as an alternative fuel (blends of 85 percent or more biobutanol with gasoline) with minor or no vehicle modifications, although testing of this claim has been limited. The third statement in this question is ambiguous and incorrect. Its energy density is only 10 to 20% lower than gasoline’s. It is compatible with the current gasoline distribution infrastructure and would not require new or modified pipelines, blending facilities, storage tanks, or retail station pumps. It is compatible with ethanol blending and can improve the blending of ethanol with gasoline. It can be produced using existing ethanol production facilities with relatively minor modifications. Some other advantages are:
Significantly improved in terms of environmental impact
Cost-competitive to gasoline
Easily produced in large quantities
Produced domestically
Compatible with the existing fuel distribution and retail infrastructure
Seamless to the consumer in terms of engine compatibility, performance, range and accessibility

Only 1 is correct
The second statement is not correct. Under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA) the State Government in consultation with local bodies may notify in the official gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS). The first statement is correct. “Biodiversity Heritage Sites” (BHS) are well defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems – terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine having rich biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the following components: richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories, high endemism, presence of rare and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or their varieties, past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values and are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity, with or without a long history of human association with them

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