Terra Preta Data bases, Web Sites, Mail List and Blogs

[Eclipse Now]

Anyone going to the IBI conference this year?

The 2008 International Biochar Initiative Conference "Biochar, Sustainability and Security in a Changing Climate" will be held at the Newcastle Civic Center in Newcastle, United Kingdom September 8 – 10.

[Eclipse Now]

Sorry, forgot the link...
The International Biochar Initiative (IBI)

Also... the marketing for Biochar could be something like "Biofuels are normally Food V Fuel. Biochar is Food AND Fuel!"

I see its most important function not being solving global warming (which is an EXCELLENT side effect) but creating sustainable agriculture in a post-oil world. When oil hits $500 a barrel, how many farmers are still going to have fuel and afford farming? Biochar reduces the energy required for farming by reducing the fertiliser inputs, and creates regional economic security and fuel security at least for the farming communities. It probably won't supply all us SUV driving suburbanites with the fuel we need in a post-oil world... so tough. We'll have to catch the bus, ride a bike, or maybe buy a smaller electric car. But if farming goes down, we're in a world of pain.

[erich]

Dear TP Forum,

The Yahoo Biochr list has split to three specialised areas;

Disscusion Groups;

The group home page location, General Biochar orientation:
biochar : Biochar

Biochar POLICY;
biochar-policy : Biochar Policy

Biochar Soils;
biochar-soils : Biochar in Soils

Biochar Production;
biochar-production : Biochar Production


Your Chartarian,
Erich

[Michaelangelica]

1.
The Pacific Northwest Biochar Initiative group site.
PNW Biochar | Google Groups

2.
biochar-policy@yahoogroups.com,

Description

This is the home for discussion devoted to regulatory, economic and social factors that are integral to biochar production and use. This will be the place to use words such as "carbon offsets", "renewable energy credits", "de-forestation", "indigenous land rights", "sustainability", and "return on investment".

This list will encompass all possible geographic areas and political divisions from communities and villages to nation states and international agreements. Finance, development, biodiversity and employment are all issues that may impact or be impacted by biochar production and use. This is the place to discuss those issues. We anticipate this website to be active in developing future certification standards for Biochar.

This new revised "Biochar-policy" list will not debate theories about the causes of climate change or global warming, believing that the vast majority coming to this site agree that biochar can remove CO2 from our atmosphere (one of the three main claimed benefits of biochar). This is primary place to discuss the integration of biochar technology with policies to mitigate climate change.
You are encouraged to visit the related Yahoo Groups Biochar (basic information)

,
3. Biochar in Soils,

Description

"Biochar-soils". This is the home for discussion devoted to technical issues concerning biochar use in soil. This will be the place to use words such as "productivity improvement", "tonnes per hectare", and "char placement depth (or technology)". This list will also be the pre-dominant location of terms such as "CEC (cation exchange capacity)", "pH", "optimum char size", etc.

This list will encompass all possible scales of use in soil (from a single backyard pot up to the largest possible farm or plantation.) The list will encourage discussion of all possible geographic areas - and all possible forms of soils or new green growth - from backyards to algae farms to forests to feed-lots, etc. Discussion of biochar use that can create new forests will be encouraged.

One type of "characterization" - that of the physical attributes of the biochar in the soil itself - will be focused in this list. When there is a need to discuss char-in-soil characterization that impacts char production, that is appropriate for the Biochar Production Group. The reverse will also true. Policy and economic issues related solely to biochar use in soils are appropriate here, but in general, we encourage those to be discussed on the Biochar Policy Group.

and
4. Biochar Production.
biochar-production : Biochar Production

Description

This is the home for discussion devoted to turning any form of biomass into char for the purpose of making biochar. This is the place to use words like "pyrolysis", "gasification", and "hydrothermal carbonization" ("HTC"). This list will also be the pre-dominant location of terms such as "energy", "biofuels", and "hybrid systems".

This list encompasses all possible scales of production (from those that exist today for industrial-scale biofuel production involving biomass transport over tens of kilometers, to the smallest possible char-making cooking and heating stoves). Discussion of char-making that is polluting (venting) will generally be discouraged, if flaring is at all possible. The list encourages discussion about all possible geographic areas - and all possible biomass feedstocks, except those that would result in the destruction of primary forests.

One type of "characterization" - that of the physical attributes of the char itself - will be focused in this list. We encourage the topic of characterization of biochar in soils in the Biochar in Soils Group. Policy and economic issues related solely to char production are appropriate here, but in general, we encourage those topics in Biochar Policy Group.

5.As well as our Biochar Web site: BioEnergy Lists: BioChar (or Terra Preta) | Information on the intentional use of BioChar (charcoal from biomass) to improve soils.

6.Biochar-Remediation
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/Biochar-Remediation/

Description
"Biochar-Remediation". This is the home for discussion devoted to technical issues concerning biochar use as a soil and environmental remediation technology.
This will be the place where words such as "runoff", "leaching", "decontamination" and "biostimulation" will be used.
This list will also be the pre-dominant location of terms such as "phytoremediation", "pollutants", "contamination", "surface water", "groundwater" and "aqifers" etc.

This list will encompass all possible scales of use in soil or on its own as a remediation agent or technology. The list will encourage discussion of all possible geographic areas - and all possible forms of remediation techologies that might use or benefit from biochar. Discussion of biochar for use in phytoremediation/bioremediation will be encouraged.

The type of "characterization" (the physical attributes of the biochar) that will be focused on in this list will be those that benefit the field of remediation. When there is a need to discuss char-in-remediation project characterization that impacts char production, that is appropriate for the Biochar-Production Group. The reverse will also true. Policy and economic issues related solely to biochar use as a remediation technology are appropriate here.

Brother Erich strikes agin
http://gardentenders.com/topics/971