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Jason Cheng
BENEFITS OF BIOCHAR ACROSS THE INDUSTRY
“ The added value of producing biochar is that it can benefit plantations and address environmental issues in the agriculture industry , regardless of the biomass source ,” said Tridansh .
In Southeast Asia , where the soil is predominantly acidic , adding biochar can help recondition and improve it .
He elaborated : “ Treating biomass as important as any industrial waste , given its sheer volume , can help reduce the agriculture industry ’ s potential involvement in health impacts , the haze or other environmental issues .”
“ Biochar can help restore and sequester carbon in the soil - reducing the amount
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of carbon dioxide or methane released during the decomposition of biomass while improving carbon footprints . It can also be used to reduce the desertification of soil . The long-term benefit will be mitigating climate change and making the agriculture industry greener .”
Jason Cheng , Research Advisor at JTS Optimax , added : “ By using biochar in the soil , we can prevent the clearing of virgin forests and extend the life cycle of the soil that has been used for commercial agricultural purposes .”
“ The biochar contains soil conditioning properties . It promotes soil remediation during reforestation projects while increasing the amount of carbon sequestered .”
In his article on stratsea . com , Cheng highlighted that biochar could be a potential solution to three existential threats - climate change mitigation , food security and sustainable energy needs .
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE
Tridansh stated that climate change was a global issue , emphasising that any entity that emits carbon dioxide or particulate matter into the air will eventually affect everyone . He said it was an international issue that requires collective efforts to mitigate its effects .
“ Crop burning has been a common practice since our ancestors ’ time . But the problem with it now is the increase in scale and size . Therefore , adding much more particulate matter and carbon dioxide into
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the environment . We hope using this kind of biochar technology , we can mitigate this situation .”
Instead of solely highlighting the negative impact of the agriculture industry on the environment , Tridansh said it was essential to explore and discover alternative technologies and policies that can provide solutions .
“ The question remains – is there an alternative for the agriculture industry ? How do we help the agriculture community to improve their environmental management without increasing their cost of production ?
“ These are the kinds of questions that the international community are working towards addressing . These issues will impact everyone involved , including the farmers and end consumers .”
Ramkripal emphasised that : “ Biochar functions as a sponge that may help reduce water loss and improve fertiliser usage in agriculture . It can also aid in reducing the carbon footprint of the palm oil industry , meeting stricter international standards and challenging developed countries ’ negative views on palm oil .”
“ Our goal is to mitigate biomass just like any other industry . To create a circular , sustainable , cleaner and greener agriculture industry ,” Tridansh added . – @ Green
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Biochar functions as a sponge that may help reduce water loss and improve fertiliser usage in agriculture . It can also aid in reducing the carbon footprint of the palm oil industry , meeting stricter international standards and challenging developed countries ’ negative views on palm oil .”
– Ramkripal
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What is biochar ? |
BIOCHAR is a fine-grained , highly porous charcoal that helps soils retain nutrients and water . It is produced using pyrolysis by subjecting organic wastes to high temperatures in an oxygendeprived environment while generating valuable by-products to be used for electrical or thermal energy .
The end product has carbon as the main constituent , with other
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plant nutrient chemicals in variable composition . Applying biochar to soil is a carbon-negative process since carbon in biochar is more recalcitrant than in the natural environment and will remain in the ground longer without adding to the atmospheric carbon dioxide .
The benefits of biochar applications include the following :
• Reducing carbon : Reducing greenhouse gases and helping
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to mitigate climate change .
• Reconditioning soil : Improving the quality of contaminated soils and / or improving soil conditions for cultivation
• Animal feed : Improving animal health naturally and reducing dependence on antibiotics
• Farming : Increasing nutrients retention , creating sustainable fertiliser blends and increasing crop output and growth
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