Images of climate innovation

Carbon negative fire: evaluating low-cost biochar production

Fire in different forms has been responsible for most of humanity's CO2 emissions, however, it can also be part of the solution. Flame-pyrolysis can concentrate carbon into a solid form called biochar, recalcitrant against decomposition. Used as a soil amendment, biochar can increase soil fertility while simultaneously sequestering carbon for centuries.

The research could be applied by industries, such as water treatment plants (WTP) to improve their water treatment process, or those that produce activated carbons to optimize their activation process. The agricultural wastes used as feedstock to develop activated carbons in this research can also be used by industries as a cost-effective alternative feedstock in the production of commercial activated carbons for water or gas purification. The research can also be employed in academics to teach and inform.

Entrant: Ondrej Masek , University of Edinburgh

Copyright: Christian Wurzer