Biochar 101

Understanding the material, how its made, and its environmental and social benefits.

What is Biochar?

Biochar is a fine-grained, porous, charcoal-like substance produced by heating organic plant material, known as biomass. 

It can be used to store carbon cost-effectively and is also a valuable material for agriculture, carbon removal, land-use challenges, remediation, economic development, and so much more. Biochar has the potential to remove up to two gigatons of CO2 equivalents per year globally. With careful planning, biochar projects have the potential to trap carbon for hundreds to thousands of years.

Biochar used as a sustainable and multi-purpose climate change solution technology can help build resilience in local communities that are high-risk and sensitive to the impact of climate change.

Why Biochar

Cool a boiling planet

The purpose of Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) is to capture and store carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Biochar is a stable, carbon-rich material that can be placed in soil, where it can help retain carbon for hundreds to potentially thousands of years.

BCR is a negative-emissions technology that uses residual biomass from agriculture, forestry, and other organic waste streams. Instead of allowing this biomass to decompose and release its carbon as CO2, the biochar can then be applied to soil or incorporated into durable materials such as cement or asphalt, where the carbon can remain stored for long periods.

Help global agriculture systems adapt to climate change

Turning agricultural residues into biochar reduces the need for farmers to burn residues, while also creating a valuable soil amendment that can improve soil, reduce water usage, lower methane emissions, and save on input costs for expensive and polluting chemical fertilizers.  

Provide carbon-negative materials

As a highly-porous material that reacts to extreme temperature changes with ease, biochar is used to decarbonize the built environment, packaging, and other materials towards a carbon-negative, circular economy. 

How Biochar is Produced

Biochar is made from biomass such as agriculture byproducts, forestry residues, and solid waste (sewage sludge). Biochar is made by high-heat, low-oxygen processes, i.e. pyrolysis or gasification. Biochar can be created in small units at individual farms, or at large centralized facilities closed system technologies.