Evaluation Of Potential Applications Of Biochar For Improved Sustainability Of Agriculture, Water Treatment And Energy Generation Systems

Abstract

Biochar has begun to attract attention from several distinct areas. Some see biochar as a simple by-product of a biofuels industry; some see a future in coal reductions, while others want to mass-produce char as a solution to the agricultural strains currently seen with the planet’s fast growing population. Still others believe that biochar could prevent further climate change and even reverse the effects that we have seen so far with its potential for GHG sequestration. Beyond these, biochar can be turned into an added value product such as activated carbon, and can be useful for water and soil remediation. The agricultural potential for biochar is promising overall. Studies, though mixed, show a trend of increasing soil productivity, nutrient availability, water holding capacity, and suppression of some GHGs. There is still work to be done to firmly establish links between the starting feedstock – the pyrolysis process – the soils application – the soil interaction and then final impact to plant life. As for added value of biochar products, there is a strong possibility that biochar can be a successful adsorption tool, and can be converted into an activated carbon. Co-firing of biomass and/or biochar with existing coal-fired power plants is another area of potential value for biomass. Until government policy catches up with the science, and science is able to firmly link cause/effect of biochar on various plant, animal, soil, water, and carbon cycle systems, the future of biochar is stagnant. However, which the continuation of promising studies regarding soil management, wastewater treatment, co-firing, and the threat of expensive carbon taxes in the industrialized world, biochar is an area worth continued study and investigation.