Dear Group,
Here is a post I sent to Dr. Scherr after reading her report;
Farmers Poised to Offset One-Quarter of Global Fossil Fuel Emissions Annually | Worldwatch Institute
(and her reply, such replies give me warm fuzzy feelings inside
.
I think we will be seeing much greater media attention for biochar as reports like her's come out linking the roll of agriculture and climate.
all good things,
Erich
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Erich Knight <erichjknight@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Subject: Biochar Updates
To: "sscherr@ecoagriculture.org" <sscherr@ecoagriculture.org>
Dear Dr. Scherr,
I'm so glad to see your report include biochar.
Farmers Poised to Offset One-Quarter of Global Fossil Fuel Emissions Annually | Worldwatch Institute
What the CFC/Ozone success story was for the atmospheric chemistry, I feel biochar will be for carbon soil chemistry, Mycology and Microbiology. The historical climate work of William Ruddiman at UVA showing the agricultural origin of most excess CO2 begs this anthropogenic solution of soil carbon sequestration.
Your point on CCS only reducing emissions can't be said enough, biochar systems draw down CO2 every energy cycle, closing a circle back to support the soil food web. The "capture" collectors are up and running, the "storage" sink is in operation under our feet. Pyrolysis conversion plants are the only infrastructure we need to build out.
This recent research on aerosols presents a counter intuitive double-bind, in that , as aerosols are reduced (NOX & SOX), less diffusion of light reduces photosynthesis, drawing down 20% less CO2 into biomass. Again, only a carbon negative system like biochar can address this double-bind of clean air.
physicsworld.com
Another significant aspect of bichar and aerosols are the low cost ($3) Biomass cook stoves that produce char but no respiratory disease. At scale, the health benefits are greater than ending Malaria.
A great example;
http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/pozn...ft%20Stove.pdf
and, The Biochar Fund;
Biochar pot - terra preta stove - Home and village level systems
Biochar Fund - fighting hunger, deforestation, energy insecurity and climate change - Home
I have focused on efforts to network the many disciplines and organizations researching and implementing biochar systems.
Key among these efforts has been recruiting input to the Soil Carbon Sequestration Standards Committee. Hosted by Monsanto, this group of diverse interests has been hammering out issues of definition, validation and protocol. The past week, this group have been pressing soil sequestration's roll for climate legislation to congress.
http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf
Along these lines internationally, the work of the IBI fostering the application by 13 countries for UN recognition of soil carbon as a sink with biochar as a clean development mechanism will open the door for programs across the globe.
The International Biochar Initiative (IBI).
I will be speaking at the first North American Biochar Conference, in Boulder Aug 12-15, about my efforts to network the many disciplines and organizations researching and implementing biochar systems.
Keynote speaker Secretary Tom Vilsack & Dr. Susan Solomon (NOAA's head atmospheric scientist).
North American Biochar Conference 2009 - 1 - powered by RegOnline
My attendance is thanks to the folks at EcoTechnologies Group .
(
EcoTechnologies Group , they have also fully funded my field trials with Dr. Paul Hepperly at the Rodale Institute & JMU)
Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.
(Below are two comprehensive biochar reports, by the CRS and CSIRO in Australia.)
Please call if you need any additional current research, clarification or documentation concerning these issues.
At your service,
Erich
Erich J. Knight
Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)
1047 Dave Barry Rd.
McGaheysville, VA. 22840
540 289 9750
Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP
Eco Technologies Group Technical Adviser (
EcoTechnologies Group )
University of California Riverside advisory board member
Reports:
This new Congressional Research Service report (by analyst Kelsi Bracmort) is the best short summary I have seen so far - both technical and policy oriented.
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40186_20090203.pdf .
This is the single most comprehensive report to date, covering more of the Asian and Australian work;
http://www.csiro.au/files/files/poei.pdf
Dr. Scherr's Reply;
Dear Mr. Knight,
Thanks very much for your note, and for all of the materials that you sent. Please do keep us on your mailing list.
Good luck with your work,
Sincerely,
Sara J. Scherr, President
Ecoagriculture Partners
