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  Conference on Agrichar

  I attended the recent International Agrichar Initiative Conference in Australia. (The conference presentations should be posted to the website soon I am told.) The Scientific American story is a pretty accurate summary of the state of science and economics affecting this promising opportunity.

  The conference was attended by soil scientists, socially-responsible investors interested in the economic opportunities, some people who farm or work in the farm sector, and just a few government employees and an even scanter few environmental activists (including me). This may be the best indication of what is happening with this concept.

  My impression is that agrichar (aka biochar) is the real deal. It will help store carbon and keep it out of the atmosphere. It will help restore or enhance soil fertility.

  Yet it is also obvious that we don't know the answers to questions like, "How much?" "Where?" "How quickly?" "How well?" "Made with what?"

  Certain presentations pointed out that the energy value of char may well exceed the value of char as a global warming solution, at pretty much any forseeable value of carbon dioxide sequestration. But those presentations rest on assumptions about the value of char as a fertilizing agent or catalyst that may well be exceeded.

  Our organization focuses on solutions to global warming that can be effective in the Southeastern US. Soils here tend to be low in carbon and require significant fertilization - so this approach is, as a first impression, a good match. But going from enthusiasm to spreading thousands or millions of tons of charcoal bits across the landscape is a big challenge.On We haven't quite figured it out yet posted 2 years, 5 months ago 35 Responses