Biochar for carbon storage comes under fire

A new idea for storing carbon dioxide underground using charcoal, or biochar, is being panned by organizations that oppose large-scale geoengineering projects.

The ETC Group on Monday published opposition to biochar from 147 small environmental and human rights organizations, calling the growing support for biochar a "dangerous new false solution to climate change."

Manmade coal produced by Carbonscape's Black Phantom machine.

(Credit: Carbonscape)

Making charcoal--also called agrichar and terra preta--from organic matter like trees through low-oxygen burning, or pyrolysis, can improve soil while keeping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere for thousands of years, say backers.

A number of companies are developing methods for making biochar as a strategy to stabilize carbon dioxide levels in the atmopshere. One New Zealand company called Carbonscape is developing a system that uses industrial-size microwave machines to turn wood, trash, and even sewage into biochar.

Carbonscape claims that its machine, called the Black Phantom, will sequester more carbon underground that the carbon dioxide generated for running its machine.

The ETC Group's organizations do not appear opposed to biochar outright. But they are clearly wary of polluters relying heavily on using bichar carbon offsets as a way to comply with carbon regulations.

Some environmentalists are in favor of using charcoal to store carbon underground and improve soil for agriculture--Carbonscape, for example, has some well known climate experts on its board. The warning by the ETC Group, which points to biofuels as an example, is a reminder to proceed with caution and common sense in implementing climate technologies.

[ToddWBeaver]

What are the specific objections? If it's a "dangerous new false solution to climate change", the story should say why that claim was made.

[mlamonica]

Here's a link to the ETC Group's statement on biochar.

http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=735

[tbetz]

ETC Group's own web site doesn't even mention "biochar" or even "charcoal".

This is a pretty lame and useless story. The story itself:

"The ETC Group's organizations do not appear opposed to biochar outright. But they are clearly wary of polluters relying heavily on using bichar carbon offsets as a way to comply with carbon regulations."

...negates the screaming headline.

[stevenalice]

This is a terrible article. It lists no specific concerns. As far as I can tell the author made the whole thing up just to create a splashing headline. it should readas "Shoddy Journalism Maligns Global Warming Solution with Baseless Accusations."

[Joe Real]

Can't find any article published by ETD Group about their opposition to biochar. Here's the snapshot of the result I ran searching the entire website on 4/6/2009 at 10:50 AM PDST:


Can't find an ETC publication on our site? or Want to search the entire website?

Publication Search
Biochar

Results: 0 Item(s) found

Martin,

Do you have links to the publication?

Thanks,

Joe

[almuth]

A copy of the declaration with the list of signatories and background notes can be found at
http://www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/news.php?id=1226

A factsheet "Biochar for Climate Change Mtigation: Fact or Fiction?" can be found at: http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/docs/biocharbriefing.pdf

[Joe Real]

The main arguments brought by ETC do not have any scientific basis nor studies. It seems that they are against anything that uses fossil fuels even for farming. They argued that biochar was produced using fossil fuels, and so it is bad. They surmised that biochar is made from intentionally grown crops! They did not include sources such as forest litters, wood waste and agricultural wastes.

The next major argument that they put forth is that this is not an exact science, and so is doubtful, and therefore bad! This is a FUD campaign without any scientific data! I think they get most of their math wrong. They haven't been to Amazon to invistigate Terra Preta nor conducted any life cycle analysis studies.

[erichknight]

Biochar Soil Technology.....Husbandry of whole new orders of life

Biotic Carbon, the carbon transformed by life, should never be combusted, oxidized and destroyed. It deserves more respect, reverence even, and understanding to use it back to the soil where 2/3 of excess atmospheric carbon originally came from.

We all know we are carbon-centered life, we seldom think about the complex web of recycled bio-carbon which is the true center of life. A cradle to cradle, mutually co-evolved biosphere reaching into every crack and crevice on Earth.

It's hard for most to revere microbes and fungus, but from our toes to our gums (onward), their balanced ecology is our health. The greater earth and soils are just as dependent, at much longer time scales. Our farming for over 10,000 years has been responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. This soil carbon, converted to carbon dioxide, Methane & Nitrous oxide began a slow stable warming that now accelerates with burning of fossil fuel.

Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon,

Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth, TP), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages? SIMULTANEOUSLY!
Modern Pyrolysis of biomass is a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration,10X Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 3X Fertility Too.
Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration, Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.

Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw, "Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes "Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !". Free Carbon Condominiums, build it and they will come.
As one microbologist said on the TP list; "Microbes like to sit down when they eat". By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders of life.

Senator / Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has done the most to nurse this biofuels system in his Biochar provisions in the 07 & 08 farm bill,

http://www.biochar-international.org/newinformationevents/newlegislation.html

Charles Mann ("1491") in the Sept. National Geographic has a wonderful soils article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text

Biochar data base; TP-REPP

http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node

NASA's Dr. James Hansen Global warming solutions paper and letter to the G-8 conference, placing Biochar / Land management the central technology for carbon negative energy systems.

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

The many new university programs & field studies, in temperate soils; Cornell, ISU, U of H, U of GA, Virginia Tech, JMU, New Zealand and Australia.

Glomalin's role in soil tilth, fertility & basis for the soil food web in Terra Preta soils.

UNCCD Submission to Climate Change/UNFCCC AWG-LCA 5
"Account carbon contained in soils and the importance of biochar (charcoal) in replenishing soil carbon pools, restoring soil fertility and enhancing the sequestration of CO2."
http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/AWGLCA5/menu.php

This new Congressional Research Service report (by analyst Kelsi Bracmort) is the best short summary I have seen so far - both technical and policy oriented.
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40186_20090203.pdf .

Given the current "Crisis" atmosphere concerning energy, soil sustainability, food vs. Biofuels, and Climate Change what other subject addresses them all?

This is a Nano technology for the soil that represents the most comprehensive, low cost, and productive approach to long term stewardship and sustainability.

Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.


Home Made Low Tech Clean Biochar;
http://holon.se/folke/carbon/simplechar/simplechar.shtml

[folkeg]

I think this biochar vs. anti-biochar debate is a great misunderstanding
See my blog at http://folkegunther.blogspot.com/

Folkeg