ohio biochar demonstration project

8/9/2019 Ohio Biochar Demonstration Project

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Biochar:

A Carbon-Negative Technology toCombat Climate Change and Enhance

Global Soil Resources

Targeting Non-CO2 Climate Forcers for FastMitigation to Complement CO2 Cuts

Bonn, GermanyDebbie Reed

Tuesday, 9 June, 2009

Policy Director, International Biochar Initiative biochar-international.org


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Biochar

Overview

What is Biochar?

Ancient Technology, Rediscovered Impacts, Utilization of Biochar


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What is Biochar?

Biochar is a charcoal substance produced from

the controlled, incomplete combustion ofbiomass in an oxygen-free or oxygen-limitedenvironment.

As a soil amendment,biochar

creates virtuallypermanent carbon sinks (MRT 1,000-2,000years); dramatically improves soils; and hasmultiple environmental benefits.

Biochar is a carbon-negative technology, andcan remove CO2on gigaton scales, to combat

climate change. It is one of the few carbon-negativetechnologies at our disposal.


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What is Biochar?

During biochar production, 10-50% of the

biomass feedstock C is retained in the crystallinebiochar structure (Lehmann, 2007)

Bio-energy is a co-product (oil, syngas, or heat)

Thermal energy (cooking, heating) Oil or gas for on-farm electricity generation

Oil or gas for fuel

Biochar production systems are scalable, andhave appropriate developed and developingcountry applications


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What Makes Biochar

Carbon-Negative?CO2Cycle (simplified):

CO2 is captured by photosynthesis, and fixedinto biomass

Biomass decays into CO2BIOCHARchanges the chemical and physical C

structure, capturing the CO2 in a virtuallypermanentcarbon stock, preventing re-releaseto the atmosphere.

IT IS A CARBON-NEGATIVEPROCESS.

BURY IT!! As a soil amendment, biochar hasbeneficial agronomic and water quality impacts.


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Terra Preta Soils:

An Ancient Technology Biochar is newly rediscovered

Concept: Terra Preta de Indio soils

Terra Preta soils of Amazon basin contain up to70x more black carbonthan surroundingsoils, and high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus,

potassium, and calcium


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Terra Preta de Indio Soils

Terra Preta de Indio Soil Nearby Oxisol Soil

Photos: Julie Major, Cornell University


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Impacts of Biochar

Crop and Soil Impacts:

Enhances crop productivity, food security

Improves soil tilth, fertility, water retention Reduces soil erosion, vulnerability to

degradation

Reduces need for fertilizer inputs

Enhances agricultural adaptation to climate

change


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Research in Past 5 Years

Shows Biochar is more stablethan any

other soil amendment (MRT1,000-2,000 yrs)

increases nutrientavailabilitybeyond a fertilizereffect

is more efficient atenhancing soil qualitythan

any other organic soilamendment


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What makes

Biochar work?During formation, theporous, crystalline biocharstructure adsorbs bio-oils,

nitrogen, phosphorus, othernutrients from feedstock

Very high surface area

In soil, biochar is extremelyrecalcitrant to decomposition

Soil microorganisms and

H2O inhabit microporesNutrient leaching andvolatilization are inhibited,but nutrients are bioavailableto plants

Source: Robert Brown, Iowa State University


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Biochar Utilization

IBI supports Biocharproduction and

utilization systems that:Utilize sustainably produced residues and

waste biomass

Provide net GHG emissions reductions (LCA)

Demonstrate and support ancillary co-benefits

(health, environmental, economic)Are supported by and provide benefits to

local/indigenous populations


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Biochar Utilization

Biocharin a developing country context:

Household-level biochar systemscancombine cooking function with biocharproduction for crops (gardens, farms), withenhanced biomass production for cooking

fuels (feedback loop)Enhance food & energy security, reduce land

degradation, desertification


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IBI & UNCCD: Biochar to help

Avoid, Reverse Land Degradation?

Photos:International Development Research Center(www.idrc)


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Biochar Utilization

Biochar in industrialized agriculture:

Utilization of waste biomass (e.g. peanut orrice hulls, corn stover, wheat straw, treewaste, animal manure) to produce biochar


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Biochar Utilization

Biochar in industrialized agriculture:

Waste management to produce biochar

Biocharcan reduce the need for fertilizerinputs, enhance crop productivity, soil quality

Biocharcan improve water quality impacts of

agriculture


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C-Removal Potential of BiocharFigure 1. Four sustainable scenarios using carbon-negative

biochar technology

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050

Year

C

Sequeste

redorOffset,GtC/yr

Optimistic Plus (3.2% NPP)

Optimistic (3.2% NPP)

Moderate (2.1% NPP)

Conservative (1.2% NPP)

Wedge

1 Gt C /yr Wedge

Biochar C Alone

Source: Amonette, JE, Lehmann, JC, and Joseph, S ( 2007), Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration withBiochar: A Preliminary Assessment of its Global Potential. Presented at American GeophysicalUnion, San Francisco, CA on December 13, 2007. Eos Transactions of the American GeophysicalUnion, 88(52), Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract U42A-06.


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The International Biochar Initiative

A consortium of research, agricultural,engineering, and policy-oriented institutions andpeople devoted to sustainability of worlds soils,and climate change mitigation

Formed at 2006 WorldCongress on Soil Science

1st international conference Spring, 2007 in

Australia (www.iaiconference.org) 2nd international conference Sept. 8-10, 2008 in

Newcastle, UK (www.biochar-international.org)

3rd international conference 2010 in Brazil
http://www.iaiconference.org/http://www.biochar-international.org/http://www.biochar-international.org/http://www.iaiconference.org/


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The International Biochar Initiative

www.biochar-international.org
http://www.biochar-international.org/http://www.biochar-international.org/

ohio biochar demonstration project

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