The conversion of solar energy by plant photosynthesis yields the food energy supporting animal life on earth. Plant matter, or biomass, has also long served as one of the primary energy forms utilized by humans for essential activities aside from nutrition. It will continue to do so, in increasingly economic important ways, into the future. The energy invested by nature in the production of photosynthates is enormous; incident on the top of the atmosphere is a continuous radiant power of over 1017 W. Of this, plants collect and utilize 0.02%, producing a total annual energy storage of 1021 J. Plant