Methods

Approaches to remove CO2 from the atmosphere

Biochar

Description

Biochar as a negative emission technology uses plant growth to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. As plants grow, they absorb CO2 from the air through photosynthesis. Plant material is then turned into charcoal – known as biochar – through pyrolysis. During pyrolysis the plant material is heated to 400-500°C in the absence of oxygen in specialized facilities. Often crops or trees are grown specifically to produce biomass but some biochar projects use ‘leftover’ plant material, such as rice husks or plant material harvested during forest thinning. Biochar can be added to soil where under the natural conditions, it does not degrade for decades to centuries and so stores the carbon in the soil.


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Support projects that use biochar and other methods and contribute to the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere.