BY GAUTAM RAMCHANDANI | APRIL 07, 2025 | Sustainability : The Fight Against GHGs
As the global community pushes toward carbon neutrality by 2050, the momentum behind emerging climate technologies is undeniable. Driven by regulatory mandates, investor expectations, and corporate ESG goals, industries are racing to decarbonise. Yet, the path is anything but simple. From renewable energy to afforestation, carbon credits to sequestration—finding the right mix of solutions without imposing significant financial strain on organisations remains a challenge.
Amid this complex landscape, one solution stands out for its simplicity, sustainability, and ancient origins: biochar. A close-to-natural product derived from renewable biomass, biochar is increasingly being recognised as a carbon-negative material with far-reaching environmental benefits. Its potential to address both greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem degradation positions it as a powerful ally in the climate transition.
What is Biochar?
Biochar’s history dates back over 2,500 years. Indigenous communities in the Amazon Basin were early adopters, using it to enrich soil and create what we now call “terra preta”—a dark, fertile soil still renowned for its productivity. These traditional practices were more than just agricultural techniques; they were early examples of carbon sequestration.
Produced through pyrolysis, biochar is a stable, carbon-rich substance formed by heating organic matter in a low-oxygen environment. This process locks carbon in a solid state, preventing it from re-entering the atmosphere as CO₂. As a result, biochar serves both as a soil enhancer and a long-term carbon sink.
Old Wisdom Meets Modern Innovation
Modern science and technology have supercharged this ancient practice, enabling industrial-scale production and a growing range of applications. It’s now estimated that biochar could help mitigate up to 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, making it one of the most promising nature-based solutions available today.
Applications of Biochar
- Soil and Crop Enhancement
Biochar improves soil health in several ways:
- Acts as a controlled-release fertiliser and immobilisation agent.
- Enhances water retention, nutrient availability, and microbial activity.
- Suppresses emissions of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) from soil.
- Leads to improved crop yields and greater climate resilience in agriculture.
- Long-Term Carbon Sequestration
Unlike some traditional carbon offset methods that risk reversal, biochar offers permanent carbon storage. Its unique structure and chemical stability allow it to remain intact in the soil for centuries, locking away carbon that would otherwise contribute to global warming.
- Ruminant Feed Additive
Livestock is a major source of methane emissions, especially from ruminants like cattle and sheep. Biochar, when added to animal feed:
- Reduces enteric methane emissions by 6–15%.
- Enhances feed utilisation and digestive efficiency.
- Stimulates methanotrophic bacteria that consume methane.
This presents a sustainable way to tackle emissions from livestock while improving animal health and performance.
- Industrial and Energy Applications
Biochar’s porous structure and surface chemistry make it valuable in industrial settings:
- Acts as a green catalyst for bio-refineries, aiding in biodiesel production, tar removal, and syngas reforming.
- Functions as a material for energy storage, can be used in batteries and super-
- Enhances low-impact construction, when added to cement and building materials, reducing their carbon footprint and improving structural resilience.
- Water Pollution Control
Biochar has also shown promise as a sustainable adsorbent in water purification. Engineered biochar can be tailored to remove a wide range of pollutants:
- 90% efficiency for heavy metals like lead and cadmium.
- 85% adsorption of organic contaminants like dyes and phenols.
- 80% reduction in microplastics and nanoplastics.
These capabilities position biochar as a multi-functional solution for environmental remediation and public health protection.
Conclusion: A Natural Ally in the Climate Transition
As the race toward carbon neutrality intensifies, biochar is proving to be more than just a relic of ancient agriculture—it is a forward-looking, science-backed tool for climate mitigation and environmental restoration. Whether it’s enriching soils, reducing methane emissions, cleaning water, or storing carbon for centuries, biochar’s versatility makes it a compelling addition to any sustainability strategy.
In a world seeking scalable, cost-effective, and low-tech climate solutions, biochar offers a rare blend of ancient wisdom and modern relevance—a natural innovation whose time has come.