Science Forums 2

[erich]

Biochar Soil Technology
All Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) schemes are complicated and costly, we should use the one, not talked about, that has the CO2 collection & Carbon Sink infrastructure in place and working.
Biochar Soil sequestration takes advantage of in place photosynthetic collection facilities (PLANTS & Trees).
A ubiquitous Carbon sink we all have access to (Top SOIL)

The conversion technology is the only infrastructure we must build out and Pyrolysis is old hat technology.

Biochar Soil Technology fosters Husbandry of whole new orders of life.
Biotic Carbon, the carbon transformed by life, should never be combusted, oxidized and destroyed. It deserves more respect, reverence even, and understanding to use it back to the soil where 2/3 of excess atmospheric carbon originally came from.

It's hard for most to revere microbes and fungus, but from our toes to our gums (onward), their balanced ecology is our health. The greater earth and soils are just as dependent, at much longer time scales. Our farming for over 10,000 years has been responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. This soil carbon, converted to carbon dioxide, Methane & Nitrous oxide began a slow stable warming that now accelerates with burning of fossil fuel.

Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon,

Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

Modern Pyrolysis of biomass is a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration,10X Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 3X Fertility Too.
Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration, Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.

Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure;
The old saw; "Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes;
"Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !".
Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar.
Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come.
As one microbiologist on the Biochar list said; "Microbes like to sit down when they eat".
By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders of life.