BiocharProduct Applications

Don Harfield, P.Eng., P.M.P Retired

Vegreville, Alberta

Presentation to the AROWRN Conference

Camrose, Alberta – June 14, 2017

What is Biochar?

Biochar is a carbon-rich solid produced by pyrolysis of

biomass under partial or complete exclusion of

oxygen. The process converts carbon in biomass into

‘recalcitrant’ carbon which resists degradation and

can sequester carbon in soil for centuries.

Biochar is identical to charcoal, except it is primarily

used for soil amendment purposes. However, it has

myriads of applications like cleaning water, reducing

odor, adsorbing toxic pollutants on soil to name a

few.

Biochar: Carbon-rich solid produced by low-temperature (450 to 550º C)

pyrolysis of biomass under partial or complete exclusion of oxygen.

How Do You Make Biochar?

Where Can We Use Biochar ?

Greenhouse/Hydroponic Growth Media

Agricultural Soil Amelioration

Horticultural Soil Amendment

Slow Release Fertilizers

Biochar Product Blends Biochar

Sawdust

Biochar at 60 tons/ha Solonetzic soil

Biochar Quality Guidelines

Biochar* IBI1 EBC

2 BQM

3

General Characteristics

Organic Carbon

Content 10 wt.% 50 wt.% 10 wt.%

H:Corg 0.7 0.7 0.7

Classification

Criteria

Organic Carbon Contaminants Contaminants

Classes Class 1: 60 wt.%

Class 2: 30 wt.%

and < 60 wt.%

Class 3: 10 wt.%

and < 30 wt.%

Premium

grade

Basic

grade

High

grade

Standard

grade

Toxicants

PAHs 6 – 20 mg/kg 4 mg/kg

12 mg/kg 20

mg/kg

20 mg/kg

Dioxins/Furans 9 ng/kg (I-TEQ) 20 ng/kg (I-

TEQ OMS)

20 ng/kg (I-

TEQ OMS)

20 ng/kg 20 ng/kg

PCBs 0.2 – 0.5 mg/kg 0.2 mg/kg 0.2 mg/kg 0.5 mg/kg

I-TEQ

0.5 mg/kg I-

TEQ

Metals (mg/kg)

As 12 - 100 - - 10 100

Cd 1.4 - 39 1 1.5 3 39

Cr 64 -1200 80 90 15 100

Cu 63 -1500 100 100 40 1500

Pb 70 - 500 120 150 60 500

Hg 1 - 17 1 1 1 17

Mo 5 - 20 - - 10 75

Ni 47 - 600 30 50 10 600

Se 1 - 36 - - 5 100

Zn 200 - 7000 400 400 150 2800

*All the parameters shown are in terms of dry weight basis (db)

1. IBI Biochar Standards - International Biochar Initiative (IBI)

2. European Biochar Certificate (EBC) – European Biochar Foundation (EBF)

3. Biochar Quality Mandate (BQM) – British Biochar Foundation (BBF)

Biochar Quality Guidelines

Biochar Characterization

Basic Analyses

Proximate (moisture, volatiles, fixed C, Ash)

Ultimate (C, H, N, O, and S)

Heating Value

Toxicity Analyses

Germination Inhibition Assay

Earthworm Avoidance Test

PAHs/Dioxins/Heavy Metals

Advanced Analyses

Morphological Analyses (surface area, porosity)

Carbon Stability (Aging Effects)

Carbon Stability - Biochar

CFIA Approval

CFIA considers ‘Biochar’ as a supplement under

the Federal Fertilizer Act and requires specific

registration prior to sale/import or prior to

environmental release in Canada.

Air Terra in collaboration with InnoTech Alberta

pioneered Biochar Registration with CFIA in

Canada

Air Terra Biochar approved December 2015

Titan Clean Energy Biochar application in process

CFIA non-compliance could result in product

detention and prosecution.

Federal Regulations - CFIA

Air Terra Biochar - Specifications

Biochar Average Result Air Terra Product

Min. Guarantee

Max. Allowable

Concentration

Proximate Analyses wt.% dry basis (db)

Volatile Matter 8.5 %

Ash 6.7 % 25 %

Fixed Carbon 84.8 % 70 % IBI Class 1 (> 60 %)*

Ultimate Analyses wt.% (db)

C 84.56 %

H 0.68 %

O 7.84 %

N 0.22 %

S 0

Atomic Ratios

H/C 0.1 IBI guidelines* require biochar

H/Corg ratio ≤ 0.7

O/C 0.07Biochar with O/C atomic ratio <

0.2, have an estimated half-life

(T1/2) > 1000 year [Carbon

Management 2010, 1, 289]

Toxicity Bio-Assay

Germination Rate 100 % Radish seed germination rate in

biochar relative to quartz sand

control

Toxicants

Polycyclic Aromatic

Hydrocarbons - PAHs

1.6 mg/kg< 20 mg/kg IBI guideline*

Dioxins Not detected < 9 ng/kg IBI guideline*

Furans Not detected < 9 ng/kg IBI guideline*

Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls -

PCBs

Not detected< 0.5 mg/kg IBI guideline*

Heavy Metals Within max. allowable

conc.

Below CFIA T-4-093 standard

threshold

CFIA Labelling – Air Terra Example

Research Support at InnoTech Alberta

• Lab Scale Product Development and Analyses

• Pilot Scale Production

• Demonstration Scale Biochar Units

• Client Systems Testing & Optimization

• Field Trials and Crop Evaluation

Biochar Composting Trial - Harfield

CFIA Approved Biochar

Compost Feedstock with Biochar

Biochar Commercial Applications

High Value – Low to Medium Volume

Functionalized Biochars

Activated Carbon Replacement

Filter Media (industrial water clean-up, ie oil sands tailings)

Mercury/Sulfur Capture

Inoculant Carriers

Low Value – High Volume

Soil Amendment and Fertilizer Carrying Agents

Growth Media

Land Reclamation/Remediation

Lake De-eutrophication

Potting Mixes (Commercial & Retail)

Quality Control Considerations

Feedstock Quality

Unprocessed

Agricultural Residue

Forestry Residues

Livestock Residues

Processed (Non Compliance with Regulations

Treated Wood (Railway Ties, Preserved Wood)

Construction & Demolition Wood

MSW/Refuse Derived Fuel

Process Variability

Temperature

Retention Time

Rate of Heating

Post Treatment

Economic Considerations

Biochar

Market price $ 500 - $ 1,000 / tonne (dry basis)

Increasing Product Availability (Canada, US)

Markets Being Developed

Activated Carbons

Market price $2000 + / tonne

Well defined product quality

Well established market and applications

Functionalized Biochar

Alternatives to Activated Carbons

Soil Considerations

Need for Improving Our Soils

Soil Degradation - Carbon & Organic Matter Depletion

Soil Removal for Land Development

Industrially Damaged Soils

“Bringing Our Soil Back to Life”*

Minimal Soil Disturbance – No-Till Planting

Grow Cover Crops After Harvesting – Reduce Carbon Loss

Rotate Crops – Restore Soil & Reduce Pests

*From “Growing a Revolution – Bringing Our Soil Back to Life” by Dr. David R. Montgomery, 2017

Biochar Application Rates

Determine Existing Carbon Content

Soils Testing – Carbon & Organic Matter Content

Compare to Desired Levels & Neighboring Lands

Consult With Agronomist

InnoTech Alberta – Vegreville

Alberta Agriculture

Agricultural College

Soil Organic Carbon Content in Soils

Desert – Less than 0.5%

Upland Soils – 0.5% to 3%

Typical Target – 5 to 10%

Organic Soils – Greater than 12 to 18%

Terra Preta Soils – Greater than 50%

Biochar Conditioning

Best Results After Conditioning

Charging Biochar with Plant Nutrients

Innoculating with Living Organisms

Biochar Can Be Added During Planting Stage

Best to Pre-Condition Before Adding to Soil

Pre-Conditioning with Manure or Compost

Further Additions for Permanent Plantings

Living Soil

Soil Microbes in Topsoil and at Root Surfaces

Innoculating Soil with Conditioned Biochar Accelerates Beneficial Mycorrhizal Structures

Microbes Need Decomposed Organic Matter

Compost and Manure are Excellent Microbe Sources

Carbon Sequestration

Biochar is Carbon Negative

Carbon Sequestration by Photosynthesis

Fossil Fuels Add Carbon Dioxide and Other GHG

Biomass Fuels (Combustion) Are Carbon Neutral

Sustainable Biochar Systems can be Carbon

Negative

Biochar Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide

Biochar is Partially Combusted (Pyrolysis) Biomass

Net Carbon Sequestration of 25% from Atmosphere

Converting Biomass to Biochar Can Also Avoid CO2

and CH4 Emissions Due to Natural Decomposition

Biochar Can Remain Sequestered for Hundreds or

Thousands of Years

Carbon Sequestration

Website Source: International Biochar Initiative

Other Beneficial Pyrolysis Applications

▪ Conversion of Crumb Rubber

▪ Reduction in Landfill Volumes

▪ Energy Densification (Biocarbon)

▪ Pyrolysis Oil (Liquid Fuels)

▪ Bio-Oil (Green Phenols Based Glues)

▪ Gasification Syngas (Conversion to Methanol)

Sources of Biochar & Biocarbon

*Air Terra - http://www.airterra.ca/

*Titan Clean Energy - https://www.titan-projects.com/

BC Biocarbon - https://www.bcbiocarbon.com/

Diacarbon - http://www.diacarbon.com/

Cool Planet - http://www.coolplanet.com/

*Note – CFIA approved biochar is required for soil amendments intended for food production in Canada

Air Terra – Soil Matrix (CFIA Approved)

Titan Clean Energy – Mayan Gold (CFIA Application in Process)

Suggested Reading Resources

Reference Books:

Biochar for Environmental Management, 2nd Edition, Routledge, 2015

Geotherapy, CRC Press, 2015

Biochar Production, Characterization and Applications, CRC Press, 2015

The Biochar Solution, New Society Publishers, 2010

The Biochar Debate, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009

The Biochar Revolution, Global Publishing, 2010

Terra Preta, Greystone Books, 2016

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations,

Growing a Revolution – Bringing Our Soil Back to Life, W.W. Norton & Company 2017

Suggested Website Resources

Internet Websites:

Biochar Basics - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar

IBI - http://www.biochar-international.org/

USBI - http://biochar-us.org/biochar-org/

ABI - http://albertabiochar.ca/

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations (Dr. David Montgomery) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr8QuXWj3o0

UN Global Assessment of Soil Degradation -http://www.isric.org/projects/global-assessment-human-induced-soil-degradation-glasod

Soil Organic Carbon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_carbon

Conditioning Biochars - http://www.terra-char.com/uploads/2/3/7/9/23790961/composting_with_biochar.pdf

Climate Change - http://www.biochar-international.org/biochar/carbon

Thank You!

Don Harfield, P.Eng., P.M.P. Retired

Vegreville, Alberta Cell/Text: (780) 632-1717

Email: don.harfield@telus.net

Biochar Product Applications Presentation