Advantages of biochar carbon sequestration projects and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Carbon sequestration activity captures and stores carbon to prevent its release into the atmosphere. Biochar can retain carbon in the soil for a long period of time. It enhances soil fertility and stimulates plant growth. Carbon sequestration plants consume carbon from the soil for their growth. The energy generated during biochar production can be used as a substitute for carbon positive energy from fossil fuels. Biochar also reduces greenhouse gas emissions as it lowers the need for fertilizers, which results in reduced emissions of greenhouse gases from fertilizer production. It also enhances the soil's ability to store CO2 by stimulating microbial life in the soil. Methane emissions from natural agricultural decomposition are also reduced and utilized to produce biochar. The release of nitrous oxide from the soil can be reduced by up to 35% by the use of biochar.
The potential of nitrous oxide for global warming is 298 times the potential of carbon dioxide. Around 50% of the pyrolyzed carbon in the biomass feedstock is sequestered by biochar. Studies have suggested that a 250-hectare farm may sequester 1,900 tons of CO2 but exact estimates of the amount of carbon sequestered by the use of biochar are scarce.
However, issues with carbon sequestration such as land tenure, permanence, and leakage are less prominent in biochar carbon sequestration projects as compared to other carbon sequestration projects. Difficulties such as accurate monitoring of soil carbon content can be avoided with biochar carbon sequestration projects.
Biochar applications in agriculture sector & Availability of cheap and wide variety of feedstock
Biochar offers various advantages such as improving soil fertility and crop productivity in the agricultural sector. It retains the moisture and nutrients of the soil and reduces the costs associated with the application of chemical fertilizers and irrigation. It improves the quality of depleted soil in the long run as it remains in the soil for a long period of time, unlike other agricultural fertilizers.
Also, the porous structure of biochar offers an excellent site for bacteria and fungi growth and a storehouse for the moisture and nutrients necessary for soil fertility. In Cameroon, Africa, the experimental application of biochar doubled the yield of corn. Therefore, long-term agricultural benefits of biochar applications are increases in crop yield, improvement in the quality of the biomass, and depleted soil reclamation. Various types of biomass can be used as a feedstock for the production of biochar such as agriculture and forestry waste, industrial byproducts, residential waste, animal wastes, and municipal sewage. Agricultural and forestry waste includes straw, nut shells, wood chips, tree bark, rice hulls, wood pellets, switchgrass, noxious weeds, sawdust, hemp, and algae. Industrial byproducts comprise bagasse from the sugarcane industry, pulp, paper sludge, peels, hulls, and offal.
Animal wastes include swine manure, chicken litter, and dairy animal wastes. Most of the feedstock is in the form of waste from various sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and residential thus forming cheap raw materials for the production of biochar.
Market Opportunities
Reliable and continuous flow of energy
Heat and syngas are byproducts of biochar by using the pyrolysis of biomass.
They are captured and used to generate renewable energy. Energy from biomass is available continuously and is not influenced by weather conditions or other external factors unlike other forms of renewable energy and this supports the generation of energy as a byproduct of biochar production
Standardization of biochar production and products
The standardization of biochar products would significantly influence large-scale application and biochar production. For end-users, the reliability in terms of product specification is important to obtain the desired output.
With the development of production technology and the adaptability of the equipment to different feedstock, biochar production is being standardized. Also, the increasing investment by market vendors in large-scale production facilities is supporting the process of standardization.
About Us:
DataM Intelligence was incorporated in the early weeks of 2017 as a Market Research and Consulting firm with just two people on board. Within a span of less than a year, we have secured more than 100 unique customers from established organizations all over the world.
For more information:
Sai Kiran
Sales Manager at DataM Intelligence
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1 877 441 4866
Website: www.datamintelligence.com
