Don Hofstrand
• Agricultural Economist
• Co-director, Agricultural Marketing
Resource Center.
• Iowa State University Extension
• President, Rural Development Partners
Comparison of traditional rainforest soils (left)
with biochar plot (right)
Agronomic Benefits of Biochar
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Increase soil organic matter
Improve cation exchange capacity
Increase microbial activity
Improve nutrient efficiency
Improve soil pH
Increase yields
Environmental Benefits of Biochar
• Sequesters carbon
Biomass Pyrolysis to Reduce
Atmospheric Carbon*
Current situation – 4.9 gigaton increase per year
Pyrolysis -- 4.0 gigaton increase per year
• 50% of Global Crop Residues
• 50% of Global Forestry Residues
Pyrolysis – 3.1 gigaton increase per year
• 50% of Global Crop Residues,
• 67% of Forestry and Below Ground Biomass (stumpage)
• Forest Thinning
* Review of the pyrolysis platform for coproducting bio-oil and biochar
Environmental Benefits of Biochar
• Sequesters carbon
• Reduce nitrous oxide emissions
• Reduces carbon emssions by reducing
fertilizer and lime application.
• Reduce nutrient runoff
• Other
GHG Emissions from Corn Ethanol
Corn Production
Fertilizer and Lime
Nitrous Oxide Emissions
Seed and Pesticides
Fuel, LP Gas & Electricity
15%
25%
3%
7%
Biorefinery
Natural Gas
Electricity
Grain Transport & Other
34%
11%
5%
Total
100%
Biochar Revenue from Crop Residue
One ton of crop residue = .45 to .67 ton of
CO2
$20 per ton CO2 = $9.00 to $13.40 per ton
crop residue
$50 per ton CO2 = $22.50 to $33.50 per ton
crop residue
Pyrolysis Produces Biochar and Bioenergy
Co-products of Biomass Pyrolysis
• Biochar (high energy density solid)
• Bio-oil (high energy density liquid)
• Synthesis Gas (syngas) ( low energy
density gas)
Bio-Oil & Syngas
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Operate pyrolysis facility
Co-fire electricity production
Transportation fuel (gas and diesel)
Renewable ammonia
Other
Indirect Land Use Conversion
Food versus Fuel versus Carbon
• Corn Ethanol -- (compete with each other)
• Biochar Pyrolysis -- (compliment each other)
Ag Marketing Resource Center
• Renewable Energy & Climate Change
Newsletter (AgMRC.org).
• International Biochar Initiative
(http://www.biochar-international.org/)
• U.S. Biochar Conference – June – Iowa State
University
(http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/bio
char2010/registration.html)