What is Biochar?

You probably know, or you wouldn’t have accessed this site!?

In essence biochar is a type of charcoal generated by processing of organic matter under conditions involving controlled temperature and limited access by oxygen. For more information about biochar you may wish to read the following book and look at the websites listed in the "Links" section:

Lehmann , J., Joseph, S. (2009) Biochar for Environmental Management – Science and Technology, Earthscan, London. ISBN 978-1-84407-658-1.

This book is the “bible” of biochar.

Why charcoal?

Firstly, because the production of charcoal from waste materials such as crop residues, green waste, weeds, bushland litter or animal wastes is the most efficient way to deal with what can otherwise be a costly disposal problem, a source of powerful greenhouse emissions, an odour problem, and/or a fire hazard.

Secondly there are approximately 8,000 potential commercial uses for charcoal. BiG currently focuses on the production of charcoal for use as a soil improver and as a fossil fuel replacement.

Thirdly, charcoal made from a waste stream can displace the use of non-renewable resources (like native forest timbers or fossil fuels).

Interesting facts

Three tonnes of biochar is equivalent to approximately 1 to 2 tonnes of fixed carbon. When applied to the soil each tonne of fixed carbon can lock up the equivalent of 3.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) for hundreds of years.

Australia currently emits approximately 450 million tonnes of CO₂ each year. Australia could offset all of its CO₂ emissions by applying approximately 300 million tonnes of biochar to our roughly 500,000 square km of agricultural lands. That is equivalent to less than 1mm per day.

The soils would gladly accept this, but it would be a massive undertaking, requiring every last bit of biomass residue generated in the country. So this is a hypothetical example, but at least it provides a comparison of the potential impact of biochar in the climate debate.