⚡DevelopingCarbon Management • Carbon Storage

Biochar Carbon Removal

Biochar is created by heating organic biomass in low-oxygen environments (pyrolysis), producing a stable carbon material that can sequester carbon for centuries. High-quality biochar retains 70-80% carbon content and improves soil fertility, water retention, and crop yields. Each ton of biochar can sequester 2-3 tons of CO₂ equivalent while providing agricultural co-benefits and waste management solutions.

How It Works

Biomass feedstocks like agricultural residues are heated to 300-700°C in oxygen-limited pyrolysis reactors. This process breaks down organic matter into stable carbon structures while producing syngas and bio-oil as byproducts. The resulting biochar contains 70-80% carbon and resists decomposition in soils.

Advantages

Permanent carbon storage for centuries to millennia, improves soil fertility and water retention, can utilize waste biomass reducing disposal costs, produces valuable co-products (syngas, bio-oil), and supports sustainable agriculture practices.

Challenges

Requires sustainable biomass sourcing to avoid land use conflicts, energy-intensive production process, variable quality depending on feedstock and process conditions, limited large-scale deployment infrastructure, and certification challenges for carbon credits.