Charcoal Carbon Sequestration
& and Carbon Trade
Christoph Steiner
The University of Georgia, Dep. Bio & Ag Eng.
Avoid Carbon Emissions
About 22% of the world’s total energy are utilized just in the United
States, which has only 4.5% of the world’s population (USCB 2007)
North Americans consume more than twice as much energy
(per capita) than Europeans (7,943 and 3,773 kg of oil
equivalent respectively http://earthtrends.wri.org)
How Much Biomass is Available?
Each year, the USA population uses three times more fossil energy than
the total solar energy captured by all the plants in the USA per year
(Pimentel et al. 2009)
In the USA, only 1% to 2% home heating is achieved with wood (USCB 1990).
FAO, The State of Food and Agriculture 2007
“Waste Biomass Example Galveston, Tx
http://www.biochar.org/
http://www.biochar.org/
Preserve Carbon Stocks in Vegetation and Soil
Picture: Christian Fischer
Sequester Carbon
What is Sustainable Biomass?
Example Slash and Char
1.31 Pg yr-1 (billion tons) of biomass is cleared in all secondary
forests (fallow vegetation) (Fearnside 2000, Climatic Change)
Is secondary forest re-growing biomass?
Should forest re-grow and increase the stock in living biomass?
Can living biomass be utilized for biochar carbon sequestration?
Under which conditions? Alternative to fire?
Biochar Production emissions of PIC
Global Warming Emission Factors from Biomass
Potential (GWP) Burning 1
GHG 20 yr 100 yr 500 yr Tropical Charcoal Agricultural
Forest
Making residues
CO2
1
1
1
1580
440
1515
CH4
72
25
7.6
6.8
10.7
2.7
N2O 310 289
153
0.20
0.03
0.07
1
Emission factors are given in gram species per kilogram dry matter burned.
(Andreae and Merlet, 2001)
Biochar Production emissions of PIC
http://www.twinoaksforge.com/
http://www.biochar.org/
How much recalcitrant carbon is in biochar?
Keith Harris, kharris@engr.uga.edu
Proximate Analysis 50 C/min to 950C and held for 7 mins
30 – 35%
70.0
60.0
50.0
moisture
40.0
%
Volatiles dry
Fixed carbon
30.0
Ash dry
20.0
10.0
0.0
PN UNWASHED
PN washed
PC unwashed
PC washed
How much recalcitrant carbon is in biochar?
Keith Harris, kharris@engr.uga.edu
TGA aliphatic content (200 - 400 °C)
PN Char = 4.6 %
PC Char = 3.4 %
100
Mass remaining (%)
95
90
85
80
PN biochar
75
PC biochar
70
30
130
230
330
430
Temperature (°C)
530
630
Half-life of biochar?
Keith Harris, kharris@engr.uga.edu
900
C mineralized (mg kg soil-1)
800
700
600
PN 44
PC 44
PN 22
PC 22
Control
500
400
300
200
100
0
0
100
200
Days
300
400
Trade in Emissions Reducations Is biochar different?
Is the carbon value of biochar more than that of charcoal used to
substitute fossil fuel?
Additionality? Is biochar additional as it will always compete
with charcoal?
How to provide access to carbon credits for small
scale projects (small farmers)?
Photo: Biocharfund
How to provide access to carbon credits for small
scale projects (small farmers)?
Aggregated transaction costs are currently averaging about $200,000
per project. (UNDP, CDM User’s Guide)