In 2009, SB.com editor Bart King wrote an editorial on biochar, a so-called "carbon negative" technology for converting biomass into fuel, while sequestering carbon in a form of charcoal that can be used to improve fertility of cropland.
While the technology is not scalable to a magic-bullet extent, it is promising, and it has been gaining more attention and research worldwide.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) this week published a report assessing the promises and risks of biochar. The report details NRDC’s recommendations for a research and demonstration strategy to help mitigate uncertainties about biochar and ensure that the U.S. develops an environmentally sound biochar policy.
The full report is avialable at the link below. Or you can read the report overview, or the biochar fact sheet.
Also, Sasha Lyutse writes about the report on the NRDC blog.
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I would have expected more from Stephen Brick’s NRDC report. He was director of the IBI for a short time.
There are many companies & products;
Organizations; http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/organizations
Companies; http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/company
Country;
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/country
Products;
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/materials
He gives little attention to the 5 years of testing in Europe, Ozzie’s 6 years of field work, nor the decades of work and organic certification for agriculture in Japan or the 5 years at Virginia Tech.
http://www.carbonchar.com/plant-performance
He missed the bio-ammonia / char pathway of SynGest, soon to be at commercial scale.
Also Not talked about in this otherwise too critical report are the climate and whole ecological implications of new , higher value, applications of chars.
First,
the in situ remediation of a vast variety of toxic agents in soils and sediments.
Biochar Sorption of Contaminants;
http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/biochar2010/conference-agenda/agenda-overview/breakout-session-5/agriculture-forestry-soil-science-and-environment.html
Dr. Lima’s work; Specialized Characterization Methods for Biochar http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/biochar2010/conference-agenda/agenda-overview/breakout-session-4/production-and-characterization.html
And at USDA;
The Ultimate Trash To Treasure: *ARS Research Turns Poultry Waste into Toxin-grabbing Char
http://www.ars.usda.gov/IS/AR/archive/jul05/char0705.htm
Second,
the uses as a feed ration for livestock to reduce GHG emissions and increase disease resistance.
Third,
Recent work by C. Steiner showing a 52% reduction of NH3 loss when char is used as a composting accelerator. This will have profound value added consequences for the commercial composting industry by reduction of their GHG emissions and the sale of compost as a nitrogen fertilizer.
Since we have filled the air , filling the seas to full, Soil is the Only Beneficial place left.
Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.
Thanks for your efforts.
Erich
Erich J. Knight
Chairman; Markets and Business Review Committee
US BiocharConference, at Iowa State University, June 27-30
http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/biochar2010/conference-agenda/agenda-overview.html
EcoTechnologies Group Technical Adviser
http://www.ecotechnologies.com/index.html
Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)
1047 Dave Barry Rd.
McGaheysville, VA. 22840
540 289 9750
Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP
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