Biochar
What is biochar?
In short: biochar is a stable, carbon-rich charcoal made by heating crop residue in a low-oxygen kiln. Returned to soil, it can improve fertility and water retention while keeping carbon locked away for a long time.
Soil
How biochar benefits soil
Biochar's porous structure is what makes it useful underground.
- Improves soil structure and aeration.
- Increases water-holding capacity.
- Provides habitat for beneficial soil microbes.
- Can help retain nutrients and reduce leaching.
- May support healthier root growth over time.
- Returns carbon to the land instead of the air.
Use cases
Where biochar is used
Soil amendment
Mixed into fields to improve structure, water retention, and microbial habitat.
Compost & manure
Added to compost or manure to help retain nutrients and reduce losses.
Carbon removal
Its stable carbon underpins durable carbon-removal credits.
Quality
What makes good biochar
Not all biochar is equal — these factors shape both its soil value and its suitability for carbon credits.
Feedstock
What residue went in affects the biochar's properties.
Pyrolysis conditions
Temperature and time influence stability and porosity.
Carbon content & stability
Higher stable-carbon content supports both soil value and credit durability.
Contaminant-free
Clean feedstock keeps the biochar safe for soil use.
FAQ
Biochar questions
- What is biochar?
- Biochar is a stable, carbon-rich charcoal made by heating crop residue in a low-oxygen kiln (pyrolysis). Added to soil, it can improve structure, water retention, and microbial life while keeping carbon locked away for a long time.
- Is making biochar better than burning stubble?
- Open-field burning releases carbon and pollutants straight into the air and leaves only ash. Pyrolysis in a kiln converts the same residue into biochar, retaining much of the carbon in a stable form and producing a useful soil product instead of smoke.
Find out if biochar works for your residue
Get a project-specific feasibility assessment — residue, biochar, and an honest carbon-revenue estimate.