Biochar is a type of charcoal created when organic matter, such forestry residue, is combusted with reduced oxygen. This process, known as pyrolysis, enables the carbon in the organic matter to resist decay. Between 80% to 90% of biochar is pure carbon.
Wildfires are a natural part of a healthy ecosystem. It’s estimated that about 10% of biomass after wildfires is converted to biochar. This charcoal can remain in the soil for thousands of years and is the source of approximately 15% of the earth's soil organic carbon.
Why is biochar useful? Because it has a porous structure which gives it an extremely large surface area. This increases soil's ability to absorb water and nutrients and allows for beneficial micro-organisms to grow. Some of the most fertile soils in the world, such as Terra Preta in the Amazon, have very high concentrations of biochar.
Our planet's vegetation absorbs about 60 Gt of carbon a year. Most of this carbon is returned to the atmosphere through decay and combustion, but a small percentage is sequestered in the soil as biochar through forest fires. This cycle played out for millenia slowly draws down carbon from the atmosphere.
Modern production converts waste wood to biochar at scale. Our suppliers use 100% sustainable forestry trimmings for their feedstock. The temperature and granularity of the production process is optimized for soil fertility.
