An Environmental Advocate's View of a Path Towards Meaningful Biochar Sequestration.

From the perspective of a Southeast-regional non-profit advocate for environmental sustainability in bioenergy, I will make the argument that biochar production will not scale-up based on single-purpose retorts or kilns making soil amendments.  I will present the hypothesis that the most viable pathway to biochar significantly contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation will be through commercial- and utility-scale biomass power plants and biofuels facilities -- producing energy first and foremost, then co-producing sequestered carbon.  Some estimates will be presented, attempting to quantify the current production of high carbon wood ash (HCWA), potential future production of char from gasifiers and HCWA from biomass boilers “pyro-tuned” for sub-stochiometric operation, and a guess as to potential future production of biochar from thermochemical biofuels platforms.  A few perspectives will be shared on the pathway to sustainable bioenergy production, as well as EPA’s rulemaking for biogenic carbon from biomass power plants.