Novedades sobr el biochar (en inglés)
| Advancing Biochar: From Misunderstanding to Innovations! Despite significant advancements in biochar production and utilization in recent years, misunderstandings still abound. Information sources often highlight uncommon negative outcomes, yet the reality and science of biochar’s benefits are far more positive in the majority of studies and demonstrations. This past month alone, several excellent guides on the cost-effective use of biochar have been released. The Australian New Zealand Biochar Industry Group (ANZBIG) has published a “A Farmer’s Guide to the production,use and application of biochar” filled with invaluable insights. Kelpie Wilson’s «The Biochar Handbook» is highly recommended must-read, offering plenty of practical tips. Professor Johannes Lehmann and Stephen Joseph have released the third edition of «Biochar for Environmental Management,» enriched with new material. Additionally, the US Forrest released Mobile Biochar Production by Flame Carbonization: Reducing Wildfire Risk and Improving Forest Resilience multi-year research document. For those who prefer visual learning, numerous instructional videos have also become available online. Be sure to check out the factsheets and videos on the USBI Learning Center website for more information. Access to affordable laboratory testing for quality control remains a challenge for many producers. To address this, we have initiated a process to development an American National Standard (ANSI) for laboratory analysis of biochar. The response from industry, laboratories, and researchers across the United States, Mexico, and Canada has been enthusiastic. While this work, led by our Program Directory, Myles Gray, is just beginning, our goal is to develop a methodologically consistent standard that is easy for labs in North America to use but also rigorous enough to be highly repeatable. The formal standards development effort will begin in August 2024 and we hope to release the standard by the end of Q2 2025 to fill a crtical gap.We have seen a flood of research papers exploring new applications for biochar, potentially leading to innovative products and markets. Just a decade ago, our Program Director, Myles Gray, assisted a high school student investigate biochars as electrode materials in microbial fuel cells. Today, there are demonstrations of biochars in microbial fuel cells that absorb ammonia and phosphorus from wastewater while generating electricity. Nanochars are being tested to remove microplastics from water, and magnetic biochars are being utilized to capture pollutants. Various municipalities are establishing pyrolysis projects to eliminate harmful “forever chemicals” (PFAS) from biosolids with equipment from manufacturers like PYREG, VOW, and others. Moreover, we are witnessing an increase in the use of biochars in building products. We extend our gratitude to the new wave of carbon financing for providing essential support to the industry in production of biochars and advanced carbon products. USBI focus is on industrial scale biochar production for wide adoption and utilization with the benefit of carbon capture. We also support the artisanal producers through Biochar in the Woods and similar programs. In recent years we have been fostering an innovative market in the mid-tech sector that includes mechanized portable place-appropriate carbonization systems that produce biochar. To help build this new market, a few years ago USBI helped Tigercat demonstrate their large mobile carbonizer. Today, there are many carbonizers working on the crucial task of removing hazardous fuels from forests, organics recycling facilities, and post-disaster cleanup sites while also producing biochar. A similar product from the UK is currently being tested in the upper Midwest. Recently, the EPA has eased stringent (Title V) permit requirements for these air curtain incinerators (ACI) which should allow for their broader use. USBI has been instrumental in supporting air quality testing and providing education to state agencies to streamline the permitting process. |
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| At a smaller scale, USBI supports the USFS and Air Burners Inc. in developing theCharBoss mobile carbonizer, now used by urban and forest contractors. The key components of the CharBoss are expected to be adapted to larger machines. Using data from our air quality testing, we conducted a preliminary Life Cycle Assessment to determine the carbon dioxide removal potential of the CharBoss. We are encouraged by the prospect of creating a protocol to monetize carbon removal with these machines, particularly if they can recover energy while generating carbon credits. In their latest development, Air Burners has demonstrated their “Biocharger,” which can recover heat and biochar using their system to generate electricity and charge a battery for remote mobile equipment. The current model can process 10 tons per hour of wood and generate enough power to charge up to four electric vehicles each day. With more markets and more tools, the carbon-negative biochar community continues to advance! |