Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Biochar: A Review and Framework for Carbon Accounting

1. Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Biochar: A Review and Framework for Carbon Accounting Master’s Project presented by John Swanson Advisor: Dr. Daniel Richter

2. Outline • Prologue: Climate Change • What is Biochar? • Study Methods • Biochar Background • Biochar Project Types • The Climate Mitigation Potential of Biochar • Current Market Incentives • A Carbon Accounting Framework for Biochar • Conclusions

3. Prologue: Climate Change • Lower atmosphere and oceans are warming • No natural occurrences (e.g. increased solar irradiance) can account for recent changes

4. Prologue: Climate Change • Combustion of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) is primary cause • Has caused increases in heat-trapping greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and some halocarbons) • Increases radiative forcing

5. Prologue: Climate Change • Anticipated effects of climate change include changes in weather patterns, storms, drought • Affects human habitation, agricultural systems, ecosystems and species (extinctions). Areas of recent exceptional drought in Texas; The Brazos River is running dry.

6. Prologue: Climate Change • Polar ice and glaciers receding • Sea levels rising Marshall Islands high tide, 2011 Hurricane Sandy storm surge inundating New Jersey Coastline, 2012

7. Prologue: Climate Change • Policy and scientific responses: alternative energy, efficiency, carbon sequestration

8. Biochar • Biomass deliberately charred and applied to soil-- Biochar

9. Study Methods • Review scientific literature on biochar • Evaluate biohcar’s potential as a climate change mitigation tool • Analyze these characteristics in context of existing carbon market incentive programs • Produce a recommended framework for carbon accounting for biochar

10. Biochar Background • Biomass has long been used for energy • Biomass combustion is carbon neutral • Fossil fuel combustion adds carbon to the cycle

11. Biochar Background Carbon-negative energy production, multiple benefits from biochar

12. Biochar Background • Biochar from fire is naturally occurring • 5-15% (or more) of North American prairie soil • Australia, Africa, South America • Biochar is very stable • Natural Australian soil char 1,300-2,600 yrs old • Man-made Amazonian biochar 600-8,700 yrs old • Far more stable than original biomass • Presence and age in existing soils • Resistance to decomposition in soil in laboratory incubation, compared to biomass

13. Biochar Project Types • Terra Preta in the Amazon Basin • Ancient technique • Supported vast communities • Could be duplicated in industrialized countries or developing nations (slash-and-char vs. slash-and-burn)

14. Biochar Project Types • Modern techniques • Pyrolysis, gasification (also torrefaction, flash carbonization, hydrothermal carbonization) • Fast pyrolysis: 13% syngas, 75% oil, 12% char • Slow pyrolysis: 35% syngas, 30% oil, 35% char • Gasification: 85% syngas, 5% oil, 10% char

15. Climate Mitigation Potential of Biochar • Studies of annual global mitigation potential • Woolf (2010): 1.8 Pg C annually (12% of anthropogenic emissions) • International Biochar Initiative: 0.2 to 2.0 Pg C/yr • Nicholas Institute: 0.18 Pg C/yr in U.S. agriculture • Terra Preta soil – 250 Mg/ha • Non Terra Preta soil – 100 Mg/ha • Above ground biomass – 110 Mg/ha • Productivity improvements variable and not fully characterized

16. Current Carbon Market Incentives • Regulatory • Clean Development Mechanism (Kyoto) • European Emissions Trading Scheme • California Cap-and-Trade • Voluntary • Verified Carbon Standard • Climate Action Reserve • American Carbon Registry • Biochar not currently included

17. Current Carbon Market Incentives • Protocol proposed • Could be developed • Would have to meet program criteria: • Additionality, • Permanence • Verifiability • Ownership • Quantification

18. Current Carbon Market Incentives • Limitations: • CA: 0.055 Pg C/yr to 2020 • EU ETS: 0.039 Pg C/yr to 2020 • Together = 5% of global potential if all offsets were from biochar • Other incentives: tax breaks, subsidies • Some systems will be self-sustaining

19. A Carbon Accounting Framework • Biochar seems to be a tool worth pursuing • May occur in multiple sectors to varying extent • 4 Gasifiers in CA currently, 1 under construction; numerous unmonitored farm-scale systems in U.S. and globally • A framework and database for carbon accounting for projects would be desirable

20. A Carbon Accounting Framework • The amount of biochar produced over time. • Carbon content of the biochar • Labile (volatile or easily decomposed) and recalcitrant fractions of the biochar • The disposition of the biochar after production • Information on the feedstock: composition, source, location of origin, sustainability • Quantitative information on the disposition of the energy produced • Lifecycle energy inputs used to produce the feedstock • Characteristics of the soil to which biochar is applied

21. A Carbon Accounting Framework • Recommended list of parameters • Char chemistry (pH, metals, dioxins, PAH, etc.) • Char physical parameters (CEC, surface area, etc.) • Char production characteristics (feedstock, temperature, process, etc.) • Char disposition and application (location, application rate, soil type, etc.) • Quantified soil characteristics of soil before and after application

22. Conclusions • Biochar must play a role in climate change mitigation • Biochar projects have the potential to feasibly/sustainably offset >1 Pg (1 billion tons) of CO2 carbon equivalents annually • Current carbon market incentives are not sufficient to rapidly increase or maximize the initiation and development of biochar projects

23. Conclusions • Other financial incentives could be used to accelerate the implementation of new projects. • Incentives should be prioritized for initiation of projects with greatest mitigation or economic potential • Uncertainty regarding recalcitrance in soil should not inhibit efforts for project initiation and development

24. Conclusions • Biochar projects should be pursued despite conditions that may favor biomass combustion • A comprehensive carbon accounting system should be developed to evaluate global impact of biochar projects on net greenhouse gas emissions and climate.

25. Biochar