How Biochar Carbon Credits Work: From Production to Certification
Introduction
The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is evolving fast. While many carbon credits in the past came from avoided emissions (like renewable energy or cookstoves), there is a growing demand for removal credits — those that physically pull CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it.
Among these, biochar carbon credits are attracting attention. They are not only based on a proven carbon removal process but also come with practical co-benefits for farmers, industries, and ecosystems.
But how do biochar carbon credits actually work? How does a pile of crop residues transformed into black charcoal-like material become a verified carbon credit on a global registry? Let’s break down the journey step by step.
1. Why Biochar Earns Carbon Credits
Carbon credits represent either avoided emissions (preventing CO₂ from being released) or carbon removals (taking CO₂ out of the air). Biochar falls firmly into the second category.
-Plants absorb CO₂ as they grow.
-Normally, crop residues or forestry waste would decompose or burn, releasing CO₂ back into the air.
-When converted into biochar through pyrolysis, up to 50% of that carbon is locked away in a durable form.
-This stability means the carbon will stay stored for hundreds to thousands of years, qualifying as a long-term carbon removal.
This is why registries like Verra and Puro.earth accept biochar as a valid removal method — it provides additionality, durability, and measurability, which are the backbone of credible carbon credits.
2. From Pyrolysis to Credits: The Lifecycle
The journey of a biochar carbon credit can be broken into stages:
🌾 Feedstock Collection
Farmers and industries provide biomass residues — rice husks, maize stalks, sawdust, manure, etc. The project documents where this feedstock comes from and ensures it is sustainably sourced.
🔥 Pyrolysis and Production
Biomass is heated in a low-oxygen reactor, producing biochar, syngas, and bio-oil. Carbon accounting focuses on the mass and quality of biochar produced.
📦 Application & Storage
Biochar must be stored in a way that prevents decomposition — usually by applying it to soils, embedding it in construction materials, or using it in waste/water treatment.
📊 Monitoring, Reporting, Verification (MRV)
Data is collected on feedstock types, reactor efficiency, biochar yield, and final application. Independent auditors verify this data.
🏦 Certification & Issuance
Registries like Verra, Puro.earth, Isometric, or Carbon Standards International (CSI) certify the credits after audit. One credit = one ton of CO₂e durably removed.
💰 Trading in Carbon Market
Once certified, credits are listed on registries and sold to corporates, investors, or governments seeking to offset emissions or meet net zero goals.
3. Methodologies for Biochar Carbon Credits
The credibility of a carbon credit depends on the methodology used. For biochar, major standards include:
– Verra VM0044 (Biochar Utilization Methodology)
Focus on lifecycle accounting and conservative assumptions.
Popular with global projects, including smallholders.
– Puro.earth Biochar Standard
First dedicated standard for biochar.
Emphasizes permanence and robust accounting.
– Isometric Biochar Methodology
Focuses on high scientific rigor and open-data approach.
– CSI Artisan & Global Biochar C-Sink
Targets smaller artisanal kilns and projects in the Global South.
Each methodology sets rules on eligible feedstocks, pyrolysis conditions, stability testing, and MRV requirements. Projects must follow these closely to gain certification.
4. The Role of MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification)
MRV is the backbone of credit credibility. Without it, buyers will not trust the climate impact.
Monitoring Tools
-Mass balance: Measuring weight of biomass in vs. biochar out.
-Digital MRV (dMRV): Satellite data, mobile apps, IoT devices, and blockchain used for field tracking (e.g., Planboo’s mobile dMRV system in Africa).
Verification
Independent third-party auditors check project claims and calculations.
Reporting
Data must be submitted regularly to the registry for transparency.
This makes MRV both a cost factor and a trust factor in biochar projects.
5. Risks and Integrity Concerns
While biochar credits are promising, they are not risk-free. Common concerns include:
-Non-additionality: Was the biochar project truly enabled by carbon finance, or would it have happened anyway?
-Reversal Risk: Could biochar degrade or burn, releasing carbon? (Low risk, but still considered.)
-Over-crediting: Incorrect assumptions about stability or carbon content.
-Leakage: Diverting feedstock from other uses (like animal fodder).
-Delivery Risk: Project fails to meet promised volumes.
Strong methodologies, conservative crediting, and MRV help address these risks.
6. Economics of Biochar Credits
Biochar credits are currently priced higher than most other credits because:
-They are removals, not avoidance.
-They have durability (100+ years).
-They deliver co-benefits.
Typical price range: $100–$250 per ton CO₂e (depending on region, technology, and buyer demand).
However, a gap remains: suppliers often need $180/ton to break even, while buyers sometimes push for $130–150/ton. Long-term offtake agreements and corporate buyers with strong ESG goals are helping close this gap.
7. Who Buys Biochar Credits?
-Corporates with Net Zero Targets (e.g., Microsoft, Shopify, Stripe).
-Investors & Climate Funds looking for credible removals.
-CSR Programs in agriculture and sustainability.
-Governments & Development Banks supporting Global South projects.
Notably, biochar accounted for 90%+ of durable removals delivered in 2023–24 — showing its dominance in the market.
8. The Global South Advantage
Biochar projects in India, Africa, and Latin America are gaining traction because they:
-Use abundant agricultural residues.
-Generate local jobs and farmer income.
-Contribute to climate adaptation (better soils, water retention).
-Attract buyers interested in social impact + carbon removal.
This makes them more competitive in the carbon market compared to purely tech-heavy CDR approaches.
Conclusion
Biochar carbon credits represent one of the clearest, most credible pathways for scaling durable carbon removals today.
From feedstock sourcing to pyrolysis, from MRV to registry certification, the process ensures that every credit sold reflects real, additional, and permanent carbon removal.
For buyers, biochar credits provide not just climate benefits but also social and ecological co-benefits. For producers, they open up new revenue streams that can make rural economies stronger and more climate-resilient.
In short, biochar credits are more than just offsets. They are part of a bigger climate and development solution, connecting waste, technology, and carbon markets into one powerful system.
About Anaxee:
Anaxee drives large-scale, country-wide Climate and Carbon Credit projects across India. We specialize in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and community-driven initiatives, providing the technology and on-ground network needed to execute, monitor, and ensure transparency in projects like agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, improved cookstoves, solar devices, water filters and more. Our systems are designed to maintain integrity and verifiable impact in carbon methodologies.
Beyond climate, Anaxee is India’s Reach Engine- building the nation’s largest last-mile outreach network of 100,000 Digital Runners (shared, tech-enabled field force). We help corporates, agri-focused companies, and social organizations scale to rural and semi-urban India by executing projects in 26 states, 540+ districts, and 11,000+ pin codes, ensuring both scale and 100% transparency in last-mile operations.
Want to know how we do this step-by-step? or need help with the implementation work, Connect with our Climate team at sales@anaxee.com
The Biochar Value Chain: From Waste to Climate Solution
Introduction
When people talk about carbon removal, the conversation often focuses on futuristic machines or billion-dollar projects. But one of the most effective tools is already around us: biochar.
What makes biochar special is not only its ability to store carbon for centuries but also the way it connects farmers, industries, and local communities in a chain that turns waste into value. This “biochar value chain” starts with biomass residues and ends with climate benefits, soil improvement, and new income streams.
In this blog, we’ll unpack the biochar value chain step by step — from feedstock to pyrolysis to applications — and show why it is becoming one of the most scalable climate solutions of our time.
1. Understanding the Biochar Value Chain
At its core, the biochar value chain links together:
Conversion process – mainly pyrolysis, which transforms biomass into biochar plus co-products.
Applications – biochar used in soils, construction, water purification, animal feed, and more.
Carbon finance – projects earn carbon credits for the carbon they lock away.
This chain is flexible. In some places, it is small-scale, community-driven with simple kilns. In others, it is highly industrial, producing thousands of tons annually.
2. Feedstock: Turning Waste into Opportunity
Biochar projects begin with feedstock — the raw biomass. Not all feedstock is equal, and sustainability is crucial.
-Food processing residues: shells, husks, fruit pits.
-Other waste streams: sewage sludge, organic municipal waste.
♻️ Why Feedstock Matters
-If biochar is made from waste biomass, it creates a double benefit: preventing methane emissions from open decomposition while locking carbon.
-If made from purpose-grown crops, it risks competing with food production or land use. That’s why most high-quality projects stick to true waste materials.
🌍 Sustainability Concerns
Feedstock must be traceable, free from contaminants, and not diverted from other uses (like animal fodder or energy). Good projects document every stage of sourcing.
3. Pyrolysis: The Heart of Biochar Production
Once feedstock is collected, it undergoes pyrolysis. This is where the real transformation happens.
🔥 What is Pyrolysis?
A thermochemical process that heats biomass at 500–700°C in a low-oxygen environment. The result is:
✅ Advantages: High efficiency, precise monitoring, by-product utilization.
❌ Challenges: Requires big investment and stable feedstock supply.
⚖️ Striking a Balance
Some mid-tech systems blend artisanal and industrial methods, offering flexibility without huge infrastructure costs. This makes pyrolysis adaptable across geographies.
4. The Variety of Biochar Applications
The end use of biochar is where the value chain becomes diverse and exciting. Unlike other carbon removal technologies that only store carbon, biochar has multiple functional uses.
🌱 Agriculture
-Improves soil fertility, crop yields, and water retention.
-Reduces fertilizer demand.
💧 Water & Waste
-Filters heavy metals and pollutants.
-Used in wastewater treatment.
-Helps with mine remediation and erosion control.
🏗️ Construction & Industry
-Strengthens concrete and asphalt.
-Provides insulation and reduces cement demand.
🐄 Livestock & Food Chain
-Added to animal feed to improve digestion and reduce methane emissions.
-Used in food packaging as a safe additive.
🌍 Circular Economy
Every application adds new revenue streams. For example, selling biochar for soil amendments creates local markets, while industrial applications attract global buyers.
5. By-Products: Beyond Biochar
Biochar production doesn’t stop at the solid product. Depending on the technology, valuable co-products emerge:
-Syngas and heat for electricity or cooking.
-Bio-oil as a renewable fuel.
-Wood vinegar and other chemicals for agriculture.
In some cases, these co-products can make the entire operation self-sustaining — even powering the pyrolysis plant itself.
6. Adding Carbon Finance to the Chain
The big game-changer for the biochar value chain is the voluntary carbon market. By proving that carbon is locked away permanently, projects can issue carbon credits.
📜 Registries and Methodologies
-Verra (VM0044 Biochar Utilization)
-Puro.earth (Biochar Standard)
-Isometric
-CSI Artisan & Global Biochar C-Sink
These methodologies set strict rules: feedstock eligibility, production monitoring, end-use verification. Buyers pay for the carbon removal value of biochar, often at higher prices than typical avoidance credits.
7. Socio-Economic Impact of the Biochar Chain
For many regions in the Global South, biochar is not just about climate — it is about livelihoods.
-Creates rural jobs in biomass collection and pyrolysis.
-Provides farmers with affordable soil amendments.
-Brings women and marginalized groups into production networks.
-Supports community resilience against climate shocks.
Case studies (like Carboneers in India, Ghana, and Nepal) show how biochar projects can increase household incomes by 500% or more while delivering verified climate impact.
-Monitoring issues – especially in decentralized artisanal projects.
-Market mismatch – suppliers need $180/ton, buyers want $130/ton.
-Awareness gap – many industries and policymakers still underestimate biochar’s potential.
Solutions include stronger digital MRV tools, cooperative models for smallholders, and long-term offtake contracts that give producers stability.
9. Why the Biochar Value Chain Matters
Unlike other CDR methods that rely solely on technology, the biochar value chain:
-Links waste to value.
-Combines climate action with economic development.
-Offers co-benefits across food, water, and energy.
-Is scalable now, not decades from now.
This makes it one of the most practical pathways to combine carbon removal with sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Conclusion
The biochar value chain is more than a process. It is a system of connections — from farmers managing crop residues, to engineers running pyrolysis reactors, to buyers of carbon credits, and communities benefiting from healthier soils and new incomes.
At every stage, biochar delivers multiple wins: locking carbon, improving ecosystems, generating jobs, and creating renewable by-products.
As the world looks for scalable, durable carbon removal strategies, the biochar value chain shows that solutions can be both high-impact and accessible.
In short: biochar doesn’t just remove carbon. It transforms waste into opportunity and connects climate goals with human well-being.
About Anaxee:
Anaxee drives large-scale, country-wide Climate and Carbon Credit projects across India. We specialize in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and community-driven initiatives, providing the technology and on-ground network needed to execute, monitor, and ensure transparency in projects like agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, improved cookstoves, solar devices, water filters and more. Our systems are designed to maintain integrity and verifiable impact in carbon methodologies.
Beyond climate, Anaxee is India’s Reach Engine- building the nation’s largest last-mile outreach network of 100,000 Digital Runners (shared, tech-enabled field force). We help corporates, agri-focused companies, and social organizations scale to rural and semi-urban India by executing projects in 26 states, 540+ districts, and 11,000+ pin codes, ensuring both scale and 100% transparency in last-mile operations.
Ready to collaborate on your next Climate or Carbon project?
Biochar and the Future of Carbon Removal: A Practical Guide
Introduction
The world today faces an undeniable truth: cutting emissions alone will not be enough to achieve net-zero. Alongside reducing greenhouse gases, we must also find ways to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) that is already in the atmosphere. Scientists call these solutions carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
Among the different approaches being explored, biochar has gained attention as one of the most practical, affordable, and scalable tools available today. It is not a futuristic technology that exists only in labs. Instead, it is something both ancient and modern — a material humans have used for centuries but now refined for climate action.
This blog will unpack what biochar is, how it helps remove carbon, its benefits beyond climate, and why it may play a central role in the future of carbon removal.
1. What is Biochar?
At its simplest, biochar is a charcoal-like material made by heating organic matter such as crop residues, forestry waste, or animal manure in the absence (or near-absence) of oxygen. This process, known as pyrolysis, prevents the biomass from decomposing fully and releasing its carbon back into the atmosphere as CO₂.
Instead, the carbon is locked into a stable form that can last for hundreds or even thousands of years. This means biochar is essentially a durable carbon sink — once created and stored in soils or other applications, the carbon remains captured rather than re-emitted.
Think of biochar as “bottling up carbon” that plants once absorbed from the atmosphere and storing it in a form that nature cannot easily break down.
2. Breaking the Carbon Cycle
To understand biochar’s importance, we need to look at the natural carbon cycle. Normally, plants absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. When the plant dies, microbes decompose it, and most of that stored carbon goes back into the air. In fact, studies suggest about 99% of carbon in plant biomass returns to the atmosphere during decomposition.
Biochar interrupts this cycle. By converting plant matter into a stable solid before decomposition, around 50% of the carbon remains captured. This locked carbon can stay sequestered for centuries or even millennia depending on conditions like soil temperature, feedstock type, and pyrolysis settings.
This durability is what makes biochar different from tree planting or other short-lived carbon sinks. Trees store carbon as long as they are alive — but drought, fire, or disease can release it back quickly. Biochar, on the other hand, resists decay.
3. The Science of Pyrolysis
The production of biochar through pyrolysis involves heating organic materials at high temperatures (usually 500°C–700°C) with little oxygen present. Under these conditions:
-Volatile gases are released (which can be captured and used as energy).
-Bio-oil is produced as another by-product.
-A solid carbon-rich structure, biochar, is left behind.
What makes biochar unique is the aromatic carbon rings that form during pyrolysis. These structures are chemically stable and resist microbial degradation. That is why biochar remains in soils for so long without breaking down.
Depending on the reactor design, pyrolysis can also create co-benefits:
-Biogas and syngas for renewable energy.
-Bio-oil for industrial use.
-Heat and electricity for local applications.
This combination of carbon storage and useful by-products makes biochar both an environmental and economic opportunity.
4. Benefits Beyond Carbon Storage
Most people first hear about biochar in the context of climate change. But its potential goes much further. Biochar is often described as a multi-benefit solution, because apart from storing carbon, it helps with:
🌱 Soil Health
-Improves water retention in dry regions.
-Enhances nutrient availability for crops.
-Creates micro-habitats for beneficial soil microbes.
-Increases average crop yields by 9–16% according to research.
💧 Water Purification
-Biochar’s porous structure allows it to absorb pollutants and toxins.
-Can be used in bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters.
🏗️ Construction and Industry
-Mixed with concrete, biochar can reduce cement use and increase durability.
-Works as a lightweight, strong additive for building materials.
🐄 Animal and Agricultural Uses
-In small amounts, biochar can be used in animal feed to improve digestion.
-It also helps reduce methane emissions from livestock waste.
These benefits make biochar appealing not only to carbon markets but also to farmers, industries, and local communities.
5. Global Potential of Biochar
So, how big can biochar really be? Research suggests biochar could remove up to 6% of annual global emissions if produced and applied at scale. That is massive, considering how few other CDR technologies can claim such readiness.
-Countries with high potential: China, Brazil, and the United States due to their large agricultural residues.
-Readiness level: Biochar is at Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL-8), meaning it is already proven at commercial scale.
-Accessibility: Unlike direct air capture (DAC), which requires huge investments, biochar can be done with relatively simple setups — even rural farmers can produce it using local kilns.
This mix of scalability, affordability, and co-benefits is why many experts see biochar as the leading near-term solution for durable carbon removal.
6. How Biochar Compares to Other Carbon Removal Methods
There are many other CDR approaches being explored:
-Direct Air Capture (DAC): Pulls CO₂ directly from the air but is extremely expensive (often above $500 per ton).
-Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW): Crushes rocks to speed up natural carbon absorption but is logistically heavy.
-BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage): Burns biomass for energy and captures emissions but requires major infrastructure.
Compared to these, biochar:
-Costs between $82–$246 per ton of CO₂ removed (more affordable).
-Already has projects up and running at commercial scale.
-Delivers side benefits like soil fertility, something DAC and ERW cannot offer.
In short, biochar is a “here-and-now” solution rather than a distant future option.
7. Challenges in Scaling Biochar
Of course, biochar is not without its hurdles. Some key challenges include:
-Feedstock sustainability: Projects must ensure they use true waste biomass, not crops grown specifically for biochar (which could compete with food).
-Methane emissions in low-tech kilns: Poorly managed pyrolysis can release methane, offsetting climate benefits.
-Certification and credibility: Buyers need assurance that each carbon credit represents a real, durable removal.
-Price gap: Today, suppliers often need $180/ton to remain profitable, but many buyers are only willing to pay $130–$150/ton.
Addressing these issues will be key for biochar’s growth. Strong digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) systems are helping, especially in small-scale projects across Asia and Africa.
8. Why Biochar Matters for the Future of Carbon Removal
Looking ahead, biochar is likely to play a central role in the climate solutions portfolio. Here’s why:
-It is market-ready and already delivering millions of tons of removals.
-It is scalable, adaptable to both small farms and industrial plants.
-It brings co-benefits, making it attractive beyond just climate.
-It complements, rather than replaces, other CDR methods.
The voluntary carbon market has seen biochar account for over 90% of durable CDR deliveries in 2023–2024. That dominance shows its near-term importance. While DAC or rock weathering may scale later, biochar is the strongest available tool we have now.
Conclusion
Biochar is not just a scientific curiosity — it is a practical solution that bridges ancient techniques with modern climate needs. By turning waste into a durable carbon sink, biochar can help stabilize the climate, improve soils, create jobs, and provide energy co-products.
As the world races toward net-zero, biochar stands out as a tool we can deploy today at scale. It will not solve everything, but it can be a cornerstone of a wider strategy that combines emission cuts, carbon removals, and ecosystem restoration.
In short, the future of carbon removal is not only about high-tech machines or futuristic concepts. It is also about simple, proven, nature-based innovations like biochar.
About Anaxee:
Anaxee drives large-scale, country-wide Climate and Carbon Credit projects across India. We specialize in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and community-driven initiatives, providing the technology and on-ground network needed to execute, monitor, and ensure transparency in projects like agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, improved cookstoves, solar devices, water filters and more. Our systems are designed to maintain integrity and verifiable impact in carbon methodologies.
Beyond climate, Anaxee is India’s Reach Engine- building the nation’s largest last-mile outreach network of 100,000 Digital Runners (shared, tech-enabled field force). We help corporates, agri-focused companies, and social organizations scale to rural and semi-urban India by executing projects in 26 states, 540+ districts, and 11,000+ pin codes, ensuring both scale and 100% transparency in last-mile operations.
Ready to collaborate on your next Climate or Carbon project?
Biochar Carbon Credits in India: A Practical C-Sink Guide
India torches 35 million tonnes of crop residue every year, fuelling winter smog and wasting a valuable resource. Converting that biomass into biochar under the Global Artisan C-Sink standard locks carbon away for centuries, improves soil health, and generates a new revenue stream through voluntary carbon markets. This article explains how smallholders and project developers can move from open burning to certified carbon removal.
Why Biochar & Why Now?
Policy push: India’s Crop Residue Management Scheme and state‐level subsidies back biochar pilots in Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra.
Buyer pull: Big corporates-Google among the latest-are contracting long-term offtake for high-durability removal credits.
Agronomic gains: Trials show 8–15 % yield boosts and better water retention when biochar is incorporated at 2–5 t ha⁻¹.
Step-by-Step to C-Sink Certification:
Stage
Field SOP (what auditors check)
Feedstock Eligibility
Record each batch of paddy straw, cotton stalk, bagasse, or coconut shell. Moisture must be ≤ 30 %; primary forest biomass is banned.
Drying & Storage
Sun-dry residues in ≤ 10 cm layers for 72 h and stack in airy sheds. This prevents methane emissions that could offset carbon gains.
Pyrolysis
Use drum or Kon-Tiki flame-curtain kilns at ≥ 680 °C. Photo-document start, peak flame, and quench to show continuous clean combustion.
Yield & Lab Tests
Measure output by bucket or bag, label with QR codes, and send composite samples to an ISO-17025 lab to confirm ≥ 70 % fixed carbon and H/C < 0.4.
Digital MRV
Upload GPS-tagged photos, kiln logs, and lab results to a C-Sink-compatible app. Sentinel-2 imagery and random spot checks validate acreage and biomass flows.
Community & Environmental Benefits:
Income uplift: Credits trade at US $45–65 t CO₂e; a 500-t year-1 project can gross US $22–32 k, shared with farmers through residue purchase or revenue-split models.
Cleaner air: Eliminating stubble burning cuts PM2.5 spikes in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, improving public health.
Jobs in villages: Each kiln cluster needs 6–8 trained operators plus local self-help groups for bagging and record-keeping.
Circular nutrients: Nutrient-infused quench water (cow-urine slurry, compost tea) turns biochar into a slow-release fertiliser, reducing chemical input costs.
Quick Launch Checklist-
Secure biomass: MoUs with FPOs for at least one crop cycle.
Select kiln technology: Drum kilns (~₹7 k) for pilots, metal Kon-Tiki for scale.
Train operators: One-day artisan course covering safety, temperature control, and sampling.
Set up digital MRV: Choose a mobile app that syncs offline data and generates registry-ready reports.
Line up lab capacity: Identify the nearest NABL facility and pre-book slots.
Plan co-benefits: Document how the project will reduce burning, create jobs, and enhance soil health—key for buyers doing ESG due diligence.
Biochar turns an annual pollution headache into a climate-positive business case. By following C-Sink’s clear SOPs-feedstock control, high-temperature pyrolysis, rigorous lab testing, and transparent digital MRV- Indian farmers and developers can tap a fast-growing market for high-integrity carbon removal credits while delivering tangible benefits to rural communities. If you are planning a Pilot Project, Start with a feasibility assessment of your local biomass supply and kiln costs, then map out the steps above for a smooth certification journey. To know more Connect with us at salese@anaxee-wp-aug25-wordpress.dock.anaxee.com.
Biochar is becoming a powerful climate solution in India and around the world. It not only helps to store carbon in the soil but also improves soil health, boosts crop yields and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. This makes it a win-win for farmers and the environment.
India, with its vast agricultural lands, is emerging as a global leader in biochar-based carbon sequestration. Expanding biochar projects can help farmers grow more food, improve the quality of their soil and reduce their dependence on chemical inputs- all while fighting climate change.
Even big companies recognize the potential. For example, Google recently pledged to buy 100,000 tons of carbon removal credits through biochar projects in India. This shows how biochar is gaining importance as part of the global strategy to tackle climate change.
What is Biochar?
Biochar is a special kind of charcoal made by heating crop waste in a low-oxygen environment. This process is called pyrolysis. Instead of the waste burning and turning into smoke, its carbon is locked inside the biochar, which stays in the soil for hundreds of years. This not only improves soil fertility but also helps the soil hold more water, making plants healthier and stronger.
Two Ways to Make Biochar:Decentralized vs. Centralized Models
When it comes to making and using biochar, there are two main approaches- the decentralized model and the centralized model.
● Decentralized Model:
In this approach, farmers make biochar themselves on their own farms using small, low-cost kilns. This method is simple, affordable and helps farmers turn their crop waste into a valuable soil amendment. It also reduces air pollution from burning crop residues openly. This model is very scalable and benefits farmers directly. However, it can face challenges like inconsistent biochar quality, lack of technical training and difficulty in verifying carbon credits for climate projects.
● Centralized Model:
Here, an organization like Anaxee collects crop waste from many farms and processes it in large, high-quality biochar kilns. This ensures consistent and verified biochar production that meets carbon credit standards. It also takes the burden off farmers, who don’t have to manage production themselves. But this model needs more investment in infrastructure, transport and logistics to operate efficiently on a large scale.
Looking to scale your biochar climate projects in India?
Get in touch with the Best Climate Project Implementation Partner in India. Connect with us at sales@anaxee-wp-aug25-wordpress.dock.anaxee.com
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