Biochar: Direct and indirect benefits

The pyrolysis of forest- or agriculture-derived biomass residue generates a biofuel without competition with crop production.

Biochar is a pyrolysis byproduct that may be ploughed into soils in crop fields to enhance their fertility and stability, and for medium- to long-term carbon sequestration in these soils. It has meant a remarkable improvement in tropical soils showing positive effects in increasing soil fertility and in improving disease resistance in West European Soils.

Biochar enhances the natural process: the biosphere captures CO2, especially through plant production, but only a small portion is stably sequestered for a relatively long time (soil, wood, etc.).

Biomass production to obtain biofuels and biochar for carbon sequestration in the soil is a carbon-negative process, i.e. more CO2 is removed from the atmosphere than released, thus enabling long-term sequestration.