BiGnews

This page provides a few brief news items about BiG and BiGchar. If you wish to receive more detail concerning technology developments, case studies and related data, please subscribe to our newsletter.

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September 2011

BiG trip to India and UK

In September BiG’s Principal Engineer, Dr James Joyce, visited India to establish a preliminary manufacturing agreement with a Chennai based company. This company has recently manufactured a BiGchar 1000 for its own testing and a second unit for export to a German client. During this visit James presented at a Seminar on Cane Trash Based Biochar Fertilizer and Power from BiGchar Technology.

While in India James also visited BiG’s first exported BiGchar unit which is in regular use for production and soil fertility research by SCAD University in Tamil Nadu.

The tour concluded in the the UK with the exploration of manufacturing partnerships with respect to two UK projects. One for biochar production at a demonstration site and the other for possible use in a major woody weed control project in Wales.

December 2010

BiG have signed what is believed to be the world's first off-take agreement for biochar

Black is Green Pty Ltd have signed what is believed to be the world's first off-take agreement for biochar. The agreement is with a company with worldwide connections, particularly in Australia and The United States of America.

The company has its own proprietary process which enables it to increase soil carbon progressively and economically rather than by commercially unattractive one-off applications.

The agreement provides for an off-take of substantial fixed tonnages for a period of up to six years with options for the purchase of quantities in excess of those amounts. Further details will be made public in the first quarter of 2011.

October 2010

BiG demonstrated biochar production at Living Together Festival in Byron Bay - NSW (Press Release)

Mackay-based company, Black is Green (BiG), demonstrated its BiGchar 1000 unit during the two day Living Together Festival held over the weekend of 23-24 October 2010 in Bryon Bay.

The BiGchar 1000, also known as the “Village” unit, is a small low cost version of the BiGchar technology, intended for demonstrations, research projects and small communities. A BiGchar 1000 unit is set to be commissioned in India in December, for a soil fertility project and another in China in the new year.

The unit on display was configured only for biochar production: however the 500 kW of energy released by these units during operation can also be used for heat and electrical power generation.

Biochar is a form of charcoal which is very beneficial to retention of moisture and soluble plant nutrients in soils; it also stimulates beneficial microbial action in soils Importantly biochar sequesters carbon in soils for a very long time. Biochar can also be used as a substitute for fossil fuels

The demonstration was conducted with macadamia nut shells donated by Macadamia Processing Co Limited of Alphadale via Lismore, New South Wales. The shells proved to be a very good feedstock, producing not only a good yield of biochar but in a form with a unique texture and appearance.

Black is Green co-director Dr. James Joyce commented: “We were very pleased with the outcomes for the weekend as every invited prospect indicated that they wished to proceed with a commercial relationship or project.”

BiGchar technology selected by Meat and Livestock Australia for feasibility study

Our BiGchar technology was recently selected by Meat and Livestock Australia as a waste management technology to undergo feasibility assessment. The announcement was after an independent review of the technology options for the disposal of livestock paunch waste.

Paunch waste is the partly digested grass and grain released during meat processing, which is traditionally a difficult and odorous waste material. The BiGchar technology offers the means to turn this waste into a useful by-product while producing useful energy for the meat processing plant.

The feasibility trials will include witnessed tests, aimed at confirming the mass/energy balances and emissions from the BiGchar process. The study will include a financial evaluation of a capital proposal from BiG for a full scale plant.

BiG ships the first BiGchar 1000 "Village" unit to India for demonstration

The first commercial shipment of a BiGchar 1000 unit, also known as the Village unit has been despatched to the SCAD University in Tamil Nadu. The unit will be commissioned in December. The primary role of the demonstration is to manufacture biochar from a wide variety of feedstocks for soil fertility projects in the region.

The unit is being fitted with thermoelectric generators which will generate enough power to run the char unit without any external supply. The flue gases from the unit will also be used to co-fuel an engine, to demonstrate the feasibility of this option. The SCAD organisation are also one of several Indian firms looking to secure manufacturing rights for the region.

September 2010

BiG signs agreement with KLIM Co. of China for evaluation of the BiGchar 1000 concept for Chinese manufacture and rollout in the Asian's market

KLIM Co. is, the largest manufacturer of equipment for the Chinese sugar industry, has agreed to build and test a BiGchar 1000 unit as part of a feasibility exercise aimed at confirming the suitability of the technology for the Chinese and South East Asian markets. The agreement is a precursor to a full manufacturing agreement for the region.

June 2010

Black is Green - Finalist in the 2010 Premier's ClimateSmart Sustainability Award (Press Release)

Mackay-based company, Black is Green, was named a finalist in the Innovation in ClimateSmart Technologies category of the Queensland ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards, at the awards ceremony on Friday night in Brisbane.

On the eve of World Environment Day, the recognition was for BiG’s efforts in developing a patented technology to convert plant and animal wastes into valuable biochar and energy.

Biochar is an agricultural grade of charcoal which provides a host of environmental benefits when applied to soils. These include reduced fertiliser run-off, improved water retention and sustained increases in soil carbon content. Biochar is increasingly recognized for its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously providing commercially attractive benefits to land users. Influential Australians such as Tim Flannery, Malcom Turnbull and Don Burke are some the prominent supporters of biochar.

BiG’s BiGchar technology addresses the challenge to make biochar production economically viable, by making the systems mobile or relocatable, more productive and more efficient than the technologies currently used. BiG’s achievements in these key areas are attracting worldwide interest.

Black is Green co-director Dr. James Joyce commented: “We were pleasantly surprised to have been chosen as one of three finalists from a list of forty Queensland companies, many of whom are recognised leaders in the field of sustainable technologies.”

The Premier’s ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards were established to recognise the achievements of Queensland communities, businesses and industries in reducing carbon emissions, taking action to abate climate change, and improving business sustainability.

Further details on BiGchar technology and BiG’s current activities are available at its website www.bigchar.com.au, or by email on contact@bigchar.com.au.

Download the Press Release here.

View the finalists here.

April 2010

BiG presses ahead with the roll out of its BiGchar 2200-G

During March and April BiG pressed ahead with refinement, documentation and testing of the first BiGchar 2200-G, a machine tuned for processing chipped municipal green waste.

Agreement in principal for co-manufacture of units in China was reached with the Kunming Light Industry Machinery Company in March. These units will be for distribution throughout Asia. Australian manufacturing will continue for Australian, New Zealand and special projects.

BiG now is actively seeking capable and trustworthy associates to manufacture and/or distribute BiGchar units in North America, Britain, Europe and Asia.

Feb. 2010

BiG's response to the Victorian Government's inquiry into soil carbon sequestration

BiG recently submitted a response to the Victorian Government's inquiry into soil carbon sequestration. This enquiry is examining to pro, cons and economics of biochar in carbon sequestration.

Our submission is available as PDF file. Please click here to open it. (433kb)

To view the submission visit:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/enrc/inquiries/soil_sequestration/submissions.html

International Biochar Initiative (IBI) published BiG's Practitioner Profile on their website

The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) recently published an article about BiG on their website (http://www.biochar -international.org/projects/BiGchar). The article provides some history and background of Black is Green Pty Ltd and the BiGchar technology.

Jan. 2010

Funding granted for further technology development

Recently we received advice that we have been successful with an application for a government grant. Unfortunately we can't announce which grant scheme this was awarded under, until the official government announcement is made.

New development site for BiG

In December 2009 we moved into our new development site in South Mackay to continue our technology development and proving work.