Soil holds more carbon than the atmosphere and all plant and animal life combined, and that makes biochar a potentially powerful climate solution, according to the latest edition of the Pembina Institute’s Green Energy Futures blog.
“By returning carbon to the soil on a massive scale, we could have a solution to climate change under our feet,” write David Dodge and Duncan Kinney.
“Biochar is an extremely inert form of carbon made by heating up wood waste and organic material to 600º Celsius in an enclosed space without the presence of oxygen in a process called pyrolysis,” they explain. “By returning this biochar to the soil on a large scale, we could have a legitimate climate solution.”
The post tells the story of Titan Clean Energy Projects of Craik, Saskatchewan, a company that is developing biochar for remediation, reclamation, water treatment, and possibly animal nutrition. “We know that Canada is not meeting its carbon reduction targets,” said Titan CEO Jamie Bakos. “This is one opportunity to provide a very big bang for the buck to reduce carbon emissions.”
