Biochar: One of the solutions for climate change, land restoration and food security

Transcription

1 Biochar: One of the solutions for climate change, land restoration and food security Earth Systems June 2016 Authors: Gwendoline Raban Azain Raban (World Vision) Nigel Murphy Adrian Morphett John Sanderson

2 What is Biochar? Biochar is stable form of charcoal, produced from heating natural organic materials in a high temperature, low oxygen process known as pyrolysis (CSIRO, 2011). Produced at higher temperatures, specifically as a soil amendment Up to 600 m 2 /gram surface area ~ 80 to 90% fixed carbon

3 Based on an Ancient Practice. Terra Preta ( Black earth ) dark, fertile human-produced soils of the Amazon region with a high char content that have remained fertile for thousands of years. Some traditional farming practices still producing black earth soils today. Biochar is the modern equivalent.

4 Why is Biochar Important? Fighting climate change, whilst improving soils Carbon negative removes CO2 from atmosphere. Locks it away for thousands of years Restores soil fertility, reduces fertiliser use, improves crop productivity Help feed a growing population

5 21st Century Challenges Climate Change Climate Change Evidence and CausesRoyal Society and National Academy of Sciences.

6 21st Century Challenges cont d Agriculture 40% of soils used for agriculture are degraded. 70% of topsoil lost Land degradation 24% of global land degraded. 12million hectares of productive land being lost each year. Social 1.5 billion people live on degraded lands and population is growing. Soil Swept away times faster than it is being replenished

7 Melbourne Dust Storm

8 Benefits of Biochar

9 Why is Biochar important in Fighting Climate Change Carbon sequestration in soils More carbon in soil than in atmosphere and plant / animal life. Most agricultural soils have lost 50-70% of their soil organic carbon, thus have good carbon sequestration potential. Biochar stays stable in soils for 100s -1000s of years. Potential as a negative emission technology GHG emissions avoided from re-use of waste biomass for biochar production Paris Agreement (COP21) 2015: a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 C above pre-industrial levels; to aim to limit the increase to 1.5 C

10 Negative Emission Technologies (NETs) Source: Biochar could provide up to 125 GT of negative CO2 emissions between 2050 and 2100 (New Scientist, 20 Feb, 2016)

11 Cleaner than Traditional Charcoal Production 53 million tonnes of wood charcoal produced globally in % of global production in Africa Largest driver of forest degradation in Africa

12 Charcoal Production A charcoal burner carbonizing charcoal with an earth mound kiln whose efficiency is as low as 10% in a landscape consisting of farmland, grazing land and woodland remnants in Bugesera, Rwanda. Photo credit: Miyuki Iiyama/ICRAF arcoal-production-in-sub-saharan-africa-can-besustainable/ d735e590971db07559ccc4a527d7.jpg

13 Biochar Production Using 21 st century technology to efficiently transform biomass into char / biochar Conventional Charcoal Production Production of Biochar Produces smoke and other air pollutants Usually unsustainably produced, contributes to forest degradation More than 1/3 energy lost during production No smoke or air pollutants (when produced efficiently) Sustainably produced from waste biomass sources Approx ¼ of energy lost in production No capture of energy and other products Can also capture most of energy and as well as other products

14 Agricultural Benefits of Biochar Increases soil carbon and soil organic matter Improves water and nutrient retention in the soil Reduces soil acidity Enhances aeration, structure, porosity and tilth Encourages the growth of beneficial soil microbes Enhances the effectiveness of fertilizers Reduces soil emissions Boost food production.

15 Example - Crop Productivity Source: Earth Systems Source: Earth Systems

16 Example - Soil Water Retention Source: Cool planet, Kameyama et al, % biochar can double the moisture-holding capacity of sandy soils Distribution of drylands in the world

17 Turning Waste into a Valuable Resource Avoid emissions from decomposition or burning

18 Earth Systems CharMaker Mobile Pyrolysis Plant Woody waste In-field conversion of unchipped wood residues to char for use in soil amendment MPP20 Biochar (Residues which would either be burned or rot down) (Stable long term carbon sink which improves soils)

19 Turning Waste to Carbon and Energy using the Charmaker Technology Municipal Green Waste, Forest Product Waste, C&D Waste Agricultural Waste Saves Waste Disposal Fee Charmaker 6 t / cycle ~4 hr / cycle Mobile Process Is Controlled BioChar Plus /cycle or Activated Carbon plus Carbon Negative Biofuel

20 CharMaker Mobile Pyrolysis Plant Processing temperature o C Low emissions 4 5 hours process time 5 9 tonnes of biomass per batch Produces 1 2 tonnes of biochar per batch Transportable Can produce heat and electricity Turns biomass (wood waste) into biochar

21 Woody waste disposal MPP20 Benefits - Cost-effective and environmentally beneficial disposal of waste biomass. - Turns a waste management problem into a high value resource Beneficial product Energy output Clean biochar product suitable for soil amendment, stock feed or filtration applications A source of high-grade heat for various applications Carbon sequestration Provides a means for an entity to directly sequester atmospheric CO 2 to offset organisational emissions. 1 tonne of biochar avoids approx. 3 tcoe by re-using waste biomass

22 CharMaker >10,00km around Australia

23 Sustainable Agriculture / Biochar Program (Northern Australia) Source: Territory NRM

24 Reforestation with Biochar, Hong Kong Majority of mountains in Hong Kong are barren of trees from thousands of year of deforestation. CharMaker installed at KFGB Mountain side with biochar trials larger scale trials are now underway in this area Tree planting trials with biochar on mountain tops

25 Current Applications Soil amendment Biochar should be applied where it can address a known soil constraint Compost and biochar combined together work far better than either compost or biochar alone Water treatment / water filtration Wood based biochars tend to be good at removing organic contaminants from water Not so good with soluble inorganics Remediation of contaminated soils Bio-sequestration of atmospheric CO 2 is a side-benefit of biochar production

26 Other Applications Food storage Biochars absorb ethylene fruit stored with biochar stays fresh longer Odour control Products incorporating biochar for applications in toilets, bedding, footwear etc are all in development / early commercial use.

27 Economic Considerations Price of biochar depends on: Feedstock use low cost feedstock / feedstock that costs money to dispose of (e.g avoid landfill costs) Feedstock transport to pyrolysis unit Establishment and running of pyrolysis unit Potential financial benefits from: Increased crop yield Improved water efficiency Decreased inputs and costs of fertiliser Value of GHG emission reductions / carbon offsets

28 Barriers to Use Economic barriers: Cost of biochar and current size of market Reliable efficient and economical technology Capital for technology investment Socio-cultural barriers location-specific! Lack of awareness of biochar / need for education and demonstration projects to show benefits of biochar Address competition between different uses of residues Can be perceived as additional workload

29 Overcoming Barriers Cost effectiveness develop markets and value for carbon offsets Develop business cases for biochar More demonstration projects for potential users and buyers Develop technology that is reliable, produces consistent product Minimise capital cost component of biochar production Promote the biochar industry Support systems for decisions on biochar (not all biochars are the same!) Continue long term field trials Alternative financing mechanisms to bring down upfront costs of production equipment Collaboration, education and outreach

30 Some Examples of Partnerships! Biochar for Sustainable Soils (B4SS) project promotes use of biochar in Sustainable Land Management Funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) Implementing agency UNEP Executing Agency - Starfish Initiatives Works with local partners in various countries Currently has biochar projects in 6 countries Africa Biochar Partnership - open continental platform for advancing the cause of Biochar Systems in Africa Includes regional and international institutions inside and outside Africa. E.g: African Union Commission, Biochar Plus Project and its project partners, Biochar for Sustainable Soils, International Biochar Initiative, SIANI, ECREEE, Kenyan government agencies, private sector and civil society.

31 Questions for Discussion

32 Thank you for your attention!