Biochar

There are concerns about increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and their effect on the global climate change. Agriculture is responsible for roughly a quarter of total GHGs emissions. Nevertheless, agriculture is also seen as a tool to combat global climate change through development of renewable and carbon neutral fuels and adoption of management practices that reduce GHGs emision.

Sequestering large amounts of carbon is another promising practice. Carbon that is present in biochar, a co-product of pyrolysis, has a half-life in the range of 1,400 years. Therefore, biochar incorporation into the soil is the potential way to store carbon for a long time. Because of its inner micro-porosity and high surface area, biochar application to soils was shown to decrease bulk density and improve aeration status of the soil. Which resulted in emission suppression of another GHG - nitrous oxide. Follow the links below to lear more about biochar.

Geenhouse Gas Emissions from Soils as Affected by Addition of Biochar. View information presented during Black Carbon Symposium in Houston, TX.

The International Biochar Initiative - non-profit organization that supports biochar production and utilization systems that reduce net greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon: The Biochar Solution. TIME Magazine feature story.

Biochar incubation study