Removing Carbon
Biochar Can Help Meet Global Climate Goals
Since 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has advocated that carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies are a necessary complement to emissions reductions to reach a net zero future and limit global warming to 2°C or less. Biochar is one of the IPCC-recognized CDR technologies, and is also one of the most affordable and market-ready solutions. Biochar carbon removal technology accounted for 94% of delivered carbon removal credits in 2023.
The Guiding Principles for a Sustainable Biochar Industry are intended to provide guidance for a sustainable, vibrant and ethical biochar industry. IBI and its global network of members and stakeholders endorse the following principles for an economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally sound biochar industry. Explore them below.
Environmental Outcomes
Biochar is used to maintain and enhance soil fertility, particularly in marginal or degraded agricultural soils; and can enhance soil absorbency, resulting in increased yields, reduced needs for inputs, and lower irrigation requirements.
Biochar systems can be at least greenhouse gas (GHG) neutral and preferably GHG negative, not only creating carbon removal, but also to create bioenergy production and heat sources in addition to biochar.
Biochar production systems can create energy; and, when appropriate, should recover and use processing heat as well as utilize syngas and bio-oil by products, making colocation with other industries highly impactful.
Biochar systems should prioritize the use of biomass residuals for biochar production. The global biochar industry is currently focusing on agricultural residues, including animal agriculture byproducts like manure or post-processing streams, non-commercial forestry biomass, as well as solid waste from sanitation.
Biochar production systems should be safe, clean, economical, and efficient; and meet or exceed the environmental standards and regulatory requirements of the regions where they are deployed.
Biochar should be characterized to demonstrate carbon stability and to identify properties for matching biochars to complementary cropping systems.
Biochar and pyrolysis offer a versatile solution for PFAS and other highly persistant contaminants in soil and water, addressing a wide range of environmental challenges by immobilizing and decomposing pollutants. Its potential extends to industrial runoff, agricultural residues, stormwater management, land and mine remediation, and erosion control.
Biochar is an environmentally friendly replacement for microplastic ion-exchange beads and coal-based activated charcoal filtration. Biochar effectively removes metal and organic contaminants from water.
Social Outcomes
Biochar systems is an important tool to enhance food security by improving soils and complements existing regenerative and climate-smart agricultural practices.
Biochar systems provide a use for agricultural residues, reducing the practice of crop burning, offer economic development with resources that may otherwise be wasted, and help improve agricultural yields via improved soil health and water retention.
PYREG is proud to be an enduring member of the International Biochar Initiative and to support the organization’s outstanding efforts to advance biochar related research, education, standards, networking, production and applications.
How is biochar a climate change solution?
The carbon found in biochar resists degradation. When biochar is buried in the ground as a soil enhancer, the carbon can be locked into the soil for hundreds to thousands of years. We can use this simple, yet powerful, technology to reduce carbon emissions and create a “carbon negative” system. Sustainable biochar practices can also produce fuel byproducts, providing clean, renewable energy. Biochar and bioenergy co-production can help combat climate change by displacing fossil fuel use and by sequestering carbon in stable soil carbon pools.
Biochar Climate Benefits
Biochar can improve soil health, soil biome, and strengthen fertility, which in turn stimulates plant growth; this creates a positive feedback loop where plants can consume more CO2.
Biochar can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, resulting in reduced emissions of greenhouse gasses from fertilizer manufacture.
Biochar can increase soil microbial life, resulting in more carbon storage in the soil.
Converting agricultural and forestry waste into biochar can avoid carbon dioxide and methane emissions otherwise generated by natural decomposition or burning of the waste.
The heat energy—and the bio-oils and synthesis gasses—generated during biochar production can be harnessed and used to create clean energy sources.
Removing Carbon from the Atmosphere
Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) is simple: when organic biomass (think plants or trees) decompose, they release CO2 into the atmosphere. Making biochar with pyrolysis or gasification locks in the CO2, converting it into valuable carbon (C) in the biochar that is sequestered from hundreds to thousands of years.
Biochar in the Voluntary Carbon Credit Market
Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) is one of the IPCC-recognized carbon dioxide removal (CDR)technologies, and currently provides an estimated 94% of the delivered carbon credits (CDR.fyi). BCR is one of the most ready and affordable CDR technologies, actively scaling with the goal of gigatonnes of removals.