No char Poor soil

(Biochar +) Terra preta great soil!

Terra Preta of the Amazon

Charcoal in Soils is 3500 year old technology, still in use today

Terra Preta photos from Peru, where it is found in ancient soils, and in modern gardens.

Biochar Biochar is Charcoal (Biochar is defined by the IBI as stable charcoal for use in soils).

Biochar is made from

Sustainable Feedstocks (sustainably sourced materials)

Forest fuel reduction tree thinning

straw & stover

manure switchgrass & post consumer paper

that are Pyrolized - (heated in a low oxygen environment) 1. generating heat and/or power, 2. with low emissions (clean air is important) 3. and high quality char = stable char

Biochar is mostly stable carbon (1000+ years)

Biochar is mostly composted of stable graphene sheets

Stable Carbon

With SEM see structure from the original material.

60% or more

Small fraction of Labile (changable) Organics. + Ash

Biochars pass rigorous Carbon stability testing!

Biochar’s structure makes it great for soils!

Biochar is porous. It absorbs water, soil nutrients & fertilizers The surface adsorbs (sticks to) metals, micronutrients and toxins. It’s charcoal; it filters the soil and provides a good home for beneficial micro-organisms.

Farmers using biochar report their plants do better during droughts!

and plants LOVE composted char!

control | biochar+ Peru kitchen garden New England Small Farm Institute

New England Small Farm Institute Biochar Supreme Hawaii Biochar

happy worms

Give biochar to farmers, and they get results! Hawaii Biochar, Composted Trial with Pacific Biodiesel’s Project on Oahu

Control (no char) Composted biochar

Control: 1.4 lbs Biochar: 9 lbs (6.4x control)

There are over 1140 articles in scientific journals studying plants and Biochar.

Biochar is stable carbon returned to the soil.

biochar projects can be carbon negative

pyrolysis

Carbon cycle graphics U.S. Department of Energy Genomic Science program and the website http://genomicscience.energy.gov.

and a transparent and reliable method for carbon accounting for biochar projects is close to completion, after years of hard work by

International Biochar Initiative already provides trusted 3rd party biochar certification.

It has been in the news….

but, can biochar REALLY save the Planet?

Realistically, biomass and biochar is a small part of our total US energy picture

but it can still be part of a carbon negative solution.

Carbon Positive

Carbon Neutral

We should use biochar technology strategically,

take advantage of its strengths, and get the best possible value out of carbon negative solutions.

Use biochar with high value crops and get better drought tolerance, germination,

quality, and yield.

2013 field test of Blueberries with biochar showed improved sugar (brix), plant health, and yield.

Extra value: Clean Water Biochar traps fertilizers, urea, and micronutrients, in the root zone of plants, away from river systems, resulting in healthier fish and riparian ecosystems.

Use Biochar to adsorb Metals: Cu, Zn

Most rain gardens and improved storm systems clear the water, but don’t have a way to filter metals that hurt fish, like Copper and Zinc. Biochar sticks to the metals, dramatically improving the rain filter.

Biochar in improved rain filters, is an easy way to comply w/ water regulations.

Do something great with Manure (CAFOs)

Combined heat and biochar systems convert manure into useful biochar, and use burning manure to fuel the process.

Biochar + Compost turns Rock into Soil.

Hope Mine Restoration biochar + turns mine tailings into healthy re-growth.

In the Northwest, native plant communities are re-established using a blend of biochar + compost to restore road cuts and other disturbed areas.

Combined Heat and Biochar Systems

turn forest fire reduction slash piles into heat for schools, hospitals, and businesses. Combining the value of Heat & Biochar can make renewable energy systems feasible for remote communities. Extra value: healthier soils and rural jobs. Existing & Planned Biomass Thermal

Source: Oregon Dept of Forestry

Combined Heat and Biochar for Greenhouses

What do you grow in a greenhouse heated with sustainable forest products? Baby trees!

Forest seedlings trials in compost plus biochar.

Doug Williams and Tom Jopsen and the Shasta Class gasifier at Cal Forest, N. California

There’s always room for more biochar…

US Biochar Initiative Biochar-US.org International Biochar Initiative

biochar-international.org Biochar Mailing lists biochar.bioenergylists.org PNW Biochar Working Group (for NW Biochar Producers) nwbiochar.org

Science Direct sciencedirect.com keyword biochar

Erin Rasmussen & Tom Miles TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc. http://trmiles.com