How to make biochar

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Confronting
Carbon-Smart
Climate Change
Terra Preta
Biochar Scientific Advisory Committee Internationa
l Biochar Initiative Biochar is fine-grained
charcoal high in organic carbon, largely
resistant to decomposition, produced from
pyrolysis of plant and waste feedstocks. As soil
amendment, biochar creates a recalcitrant carbon
pool that is carbon-negative net withdrawal of
atmospheric carbon. Enhanced nutrient retention
capacity of biochar-amended soil reduces total
fertilizer requirements, also climate and
environmental impact of croplands.


Acrisol
Terra Preta
Acrisol
Charcoal
Charcoal
Biochar
Biochar
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typical Amazon soil Infertile clay
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Biochar Properties
Biochar is a special charcoal, made from select
biomass, prepared for special purpose to put in
soil to grow food
The yield is a black
carbon-rich substance with similar properties
to activated charcoal
Biochar is an ancient method to smolder dry
biomass in a low Oxygen environment
This controlled combustion technology is based
on gasification and pyrolysis
Slow pyrolysis heats biomass to 500 to 700C
Carbon burns hottest, and thus burns last, - the
residue of combustion without sufficient Oxygen
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Uses of Biochar
Biochar Properties

• Hans-Peter Schmitt at Ithaka Institut in
  Switzerland describes 55 uses for biochar in
  great detail, including cascading processes that
  sequence the same batch in an array of uses.

Hans-Peter has a charred wool product thats a
slow release fertilizer stick containing 8
nitrogen.
Hans-Peter points to biochars digestive
qualities, noting the Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey
eats char daily to detox phenols in its leafy
diet. We spend 20 billion per year
pharmaceuticals. A tiny bit of biochar added to
animal feed can cut Germanys GHG emissions
nearly 1, not including methane.

• He described
• biochar textiles that serve as deodorizers
• plasters that absorb mycotoxins (like black mold
  spores)
• lightweight biochar bricks
• a refrigerator house in Kenya
• biochar pillows mattresses to soak up toxins
  from your skin
• dampening of ambient electromagnetic pollution
• graphite-quality biochar for semiconductors,
  batteries nanotubes