How to Make Biochar

Open Source Biochar Technologies

Explore resources on open source licensing and technology development in the biochar industry.

Open Source Technologies

Because charcoal-making is an ancient, low-tech process, there are many charcoal kiln designs in the public domain. In the 1800s, before petroleum came to dominate our energy supply, some fairly sophisticated technologies for pyrolysis and gasification were developed. Dr. Manuel Garcia-Perez of Washington State University, US, has published a useful catalog of these. Many of these designs are likely to be in the public domain.


Inventors and project developers who are not interested in pursuing patents for their technologies and who want to participate in Open Design processes may still want to retain some rights to the information they have developed. An alternative to copyright law they may want to consider is the Creative Commons License.

Open Source Biochar Resources

The Guidelines for Development and Testing of Pyrolysis Plants
IBI offers this open source guide for engineers and system designers. This 32-page document was produced to assist in the development and testing of small pyrolysis plants and provides advice on equipment design and testing. The authors, Professor GX Pan, Dr Q Ding, Professor S Joseph, Professor LQ Li and Professor F C Christo, also published the Commissioning of an Open Source Twin Trough Pyrolyzer.
Download
Wilson Biochar
Kelpie Wilson’s business has a great deal of information on Top-feed Open Draft kilns (TFOD) with diagrams and photos. You can also explore worldwide news and information on promising backyard biochar methods.
Learn More
How to make high and low adsorption biochars for small research studies
This guide dives into making biochar for research purposes, produced by Dr. Hugh McLaughlin.
Download
1G Toucan TLUD for Biochar Production
This guide dives into constructing a biochar stove, produced by Dr. Hugh McLaughlin.
Download
The “Jolly Roger Ovens” family of Biochar-making devices
This guide dives into constructing a larger biochar oven, produced by Dr. Hugh McLaughlin.
Download
Small Scale Biochar Production
Dr. David Domermuth in the Department of Applied Design at Appalachian State University (United States) has produced an excellent short paper on small scale biochar production.
Download
BioEnergy Discussion Lists
The community of stove designers who work on biomass stoves for developing countries often work in an open-source environment. You can take part in or just observe their discussions.
Learn More
1 / 7

Examples of Open Source Biochar Technology

Biochar Oven developed at the second Annual Biochar Bootcamp in 2012 at Star Seed Gardens Nursery in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia by Stephen Joseph, Paul Taylor, and other participants. 

Learn More

Switchgrass farmer Ed Cahoj constructed this gasifer, specifically designed to make biochar from switchgrass and other grasses and straw. 

Learn More

Learn how to make a Jolly Roger Oven with a 55 gallon TLUD and a 30 gallon retort, designed by Doug Clayton. 

Learn More

Kelpie Wilson adapted this kiln design from Sai Bhaskar Reddy Nakka and a design at Twin Oaks Forge.

Learn More

Video Links

Making Biochar with Peter Hirst of New England Biochar
Making Biochar for Small Farms
Hornito
Ed's Biochar Tech