Acknowledgments

Our ongoing research program, entitled “Green Biomass Research for Improvement of Local Energy Self-sufficiency” commenced in mid-2000. At that time, several faculty members of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology decided to integrate their separate studies into a comprehensive research framework for the construction of model systems with energy self-sufficiency and effective material recycling at the farm or local community scale. We thank the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan for funding the program for 5 years, commencing in 2008. We also acknowledge Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology for supporting our research. This book is but one outcome of our program.

We thank Kattie Washington and Tiffany Gasbarrini at Elsevier for their professional advice and support. We also thank Hiroshi Nishiyama for assistance given when the book was in the early stages of preparation. We thank all of the contributors for sharing their thoughts and expertise with us and want to extend a special thanks to Dr. Atsushi Chitose for his editorial efforts. Finally, we would like to acknowledge Dr. Allen C. Chao, who reviewed all manuscripts with his extensive knowledge and language skill.