Biochar and its Application

Why in News?

Indian carbon market set to be launched in 2026 and CO2 removal technologies such as biochar are expected to play a crucial role.

What is biochar?

• Biochar – It is a type of charcoal rich in carbon and is produced from agricultural residue and organic municipal solid waste.

• Potential of India – India generates over 600 million metric tonnes of agricultural residue and over 60 million tonnes of municipal solid waste every year.

A significant portion of waste is burnt openly or dumped in landfills, leading to air pollution from particulate matter and greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, and CO2.

What are the potential applications of biochar?

• Agriculture – It can improve water retention, particularly in semi-dry and nutrient-depleted soils.

• It can also enhance soil organic carbon, helping restore degraded soils.
• Tool for climate goals – It offers a science-backed multisectoral pathway for India to achieve its climate and development goals.
• Electricity generation – Byproducts of biochar production, such as syngas (20-30 million tonnes) and bio-oil (24-40 million tonnes), can generate additional electricity and fuels.
• Building material – It can be explored as a low-carbon alternative to building materials.
• Adding 2-5% of biochar to concrete can improve mechanical strength, increase heat resistance by 20%.
• Waste water treatment –It offers a low-cost and effective option to reduce pollution.
• A kilogram of biochar, along with other substances, can treat 200-500 litres of wastewater.

India generates more than 70 billion litres of wastewater every day, of which 72% is left untreated.

• Lowers coal demand – Utilising syngas could generate around 8-13 TWh of power, equivalent to 0.5-0.7% of India’s annual electricity generation, replacing 0.4-0.7 million tonnes of coal per year.
• Reduces import – Bio-oil can likewise potentially offset 12-19 million tonnes (or 8%) of diesel or kerosene production annually.
• It leads to lower crude oil imports and reducing more than 2% of India’s total fossil-fuel-based emissions.
• Source of Income – Indian carbon market will generate additional income for investors and farmers through carbon credits.
• Employment opportunity – It has the potential to create approximately 5.2 lakh rural jobs, linking climate action with inclusive economic development.

What hinders biochar’s application?

• Less efficient – Its carbon removal efficiency is currently lower than that of conventional methods.
• Remains underrepresented - The absence of standardised feedstock markets and consistent carbon accounting methods, undermines investor confidence.
• Limited awareness – Less cognizance among stakeholders, weak monitoring, reporting, and verification frameworks hinders the progress.
• Lack of coordination – Areas such as agriculture, energy, and climate policy lack coordination among them.

What measures can be taken?

• Research and development – R&D is essential to create region-specific feedstock standards and to optimise biomass utilisation rates based on agro-climatic zones and crop types.
• Integration into various plans – Biochar should be systematically integrated into existing and upcoming frameworks.
• This includes crop residue management schemes, bioenergy initiatives in both urban and rural contexts.
• It also include state-level climate strategies under the State Action Plans on Climate Change.
• Acknowledgement – Recognizing biochar as a verifiable carbon removal pathway within the Indian market is crucial.
•  Village level Deployment – Biochar production equipment at the villages should be setup and can be operated by trained people.
• Benefit analysis and integration – It should be systematically integrated into policy and market frameworks to fully realise its potential.

What lies ahead?

• Participation and support from multiple stakeholders could truly serve as a scalable pathway for negative emissions across sectors.
• Viable business models could be developed for large-scale adoption and utilization of the technology.

Reference

The Hindu| Biochar and its Potential