Saturday, January 23, 2010

BioChar Carbon Sequestration

This ancient technology practiced for 1000+ years by the Amazonians provides fuel, sequesters carbon, and prevents soil degradation. On a global scale, crop residue biomass represents a considerable problem as well as new challenges and opportunities. Bio-char soil management systems can deliver tradable C emissions reduction, and C sequestered is easily accountable, and verifiable. The described mixture of driving forces and technologies has the potential to use residual waste carbon-rich residues to reshape agriculture, balance carbon and address nutrient depletion.

For example, switching from slash-and-burn to slash-and-char techniques in Brazil can both decrease deforestation of the Amazon and increase the crop yield. Under the current method of slash-and-burn, only 3% of the carbon from the organic material is left in the soil. Switching to slash-and-char can sequester up to 50% of the carbon in a highly stable form.

Everyone should be stoked by this! (sorry for the pun!)

http://www.biochar.org

another link showing a step-by-step how to: The $365 BioChar Retort Kiln

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1 comment:

  1. Erich J. KnightJanuary 25, 2010 at 10:43 PM

    I thought these update on developments of biochar soils may interest you,
    I'm a biochar advocate, and would like to share my efforts in research, policy and industry.(bellow)

    The Ag Soil Carbon standard is in the second phase of review by the ARC branch at USDA.
    After initial review, approval is expected in the next month. Contact Gary Delong . www.novecta.com 515-334-7305 office
    Read over the work so far;
    http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

    In my efforts to have Biochar included I have recruited several to join the list, briefed the entire committee about char when issues concerning N2O & CH4 soil GHG emissions were raised, fully briefed a couple members when they replied individually to my "Reply all" briefs.


    Biochar systems for Biofuels and soil carbon sequestration are so basically conservative in nature it is a shame that republicans have not seized it as a central environmental policy plank as the conservatives in Australia have; Carbon sequestration without Taxes.

    Hope to see you at ISU for the 2010 US Biochar Conference

    Dr. Robert Brown , and the team in Ames Iowa are planing the next national biochar conference. The Conference will be June 27-30 in Ames Iowa Hosted by Iowa State University.
    I am chairman of the Markets and Business Opportunities Review Committee
    The Call for papers; http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/biochar/home.html

    The Biochar Fund deserves your attention and support.
    Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon
    http://scitizen.com/screens/blogPage/viewBlog/sw_viewBlog.php?idTheme=14&idContribution=3011

    Mark my words;
    Given the potential for Laurens Rademaker's programs to grow exponentially, only a short time lies between This man's nomination for a Noble Prize.
    He recently received the Manchester prize.

    Thanks for your efforts.
    Erich


    Erich J. Knight
    Chairman; Markets and Business Opportunities Review Committee
    US BiocharConference, at Iowa State University, June 27-30
    http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/biochar/home.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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