The same world, different perspectives.
The beauty of the earth's ecology lies in its lush greenery. That green patch is a residential garden, a tree lined street, and also a cultural and natural scenic spot. We can often harvest a sense of relaxation and leisure from this touch of green, allowing our mood to wander with nature.
However, we must not underestimate this green color, which can make plants biodegradable and help achieve secondary energy conversion. Under the severe challenge of global climate change, the development and utilization of green energy have become particularly important. As precious resources endowed by nature, plants and secondary energy play a crucial role in the field of green energy.
Degradability of plants
Plants, as an important component of ecosystems, not only provide material and energy for the entire life system through photosynthesis, but their biodegradability is also an important part of green energy. Taking polylactic acid (PLA) as an example, this material can be synthesized from lactic acid obtained by starch fermentation, and has similar properties to traditional plastics, but can decompose quickly in natural environments, achieving a balance of natural ecology. At present, there are corn PLA fully degradable tableware and some industrial products for children produced from polylactic acid on the market. The final degradation products of polylactic acid are carbon dioxide and water, which can be converted into the raw material starch of lactic acid through photosynthesis in plants, thus participating in the natural carbon cycle and not causing pollution to the environment.
Conversion of secondary energy
Secondary energy refers to energy that cannot be directly obtained from nature and must be obtained through the consumption of primary energy. Electricity is a typical representative of secondary energy, which can be obtained through the conversion of primary energy such as hydropower, geothermal energy, and wind energy. Among hydropower, geothermal energy, and solar energy, only electricity cannot be directly obtained from nature and is therefore considered a secondary energy source.
Green hydrogen based energy, as a clean and high-quality secondary energy source, can be converted into electricity, consuming and producing electricity, and is an important balancing and regulating force in the new power system. Green hydrogen based energy is the energy carrier of renewable energy, with dual attributes of "process energy" and "energetic energy", and can be applied in many fields. By adopting hydrogen production and consumption methods, new energy can be effectively consumed, providing feasible solution options for further large-scale development and utilization of new energy.
The integration of plants and secondary energy
The integration of plants and secondary energy provides a new way to achieve sustainable development of green energy. On the one hand, plants convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, providing an energy source for the entire ecosystem. On the other hand, through the biodegradability of plants, we can convert organic waste into secondary energy sources such as biofuels. In addition, the production of green hydrogen based energy can also utilize organic matter produced by plant photosynthesis as raw materials to produce hydrogen gas through electrolysis of water or biomass gasification, thereby achieving efficient energy conversion and storage.
The Path to Achieving Carbon Neutrality Goals
Among the current major carbon sequestration technologies for achieving carbon neutrality, the fixation of photosynthetic carbon dioxide based on terrestrial ecosystems dominates the total carbon sink. Plants grow continuously through photosynthesis, providing food and energy for animals on one hand, and preserving carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the form of organic matter on the other hand. This is known as the 'plant carbon sink'. It is estimated that the current plant ecosystem can fix approximately 123 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually through photosynthesis. Therefore, improving the efficiency of photosynthesis and increasing plant carbon sequestration capacity is one of the key paths to achieving carbon neutrality goals.
Meanwhile, increasing energy efficiency and reducing fossil fuel combustion are also important ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The application of green hydrogen based energy and secondary energy such as electricity can provide feasible solutions for the further large-scale development and utilization of renewable energy, thereby optimizing the energy structure and achieving low-carbon transformation.
The development and utilization of green energy is an important way to achieve carbon neutrality goals. The biodegradability of plants and the conversion of secondary energy provide us with abundant resources and innovative ideas. Through continuous exploration and practice, we can push the application of green energy to new heights and contribute wisdom and strength to the sustainable development of the earth.
