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Don Hofstrand
• Agricultural Economist• Co-director, Agricultural Marketing
Resource Center.• Iowa State University Extension• President, Rural Development Partners
Comparison of traditional rainforest soils (left) with biochar plot (right)
Agronomic Benefits of Biochar
• Increase soil organic matter• Improve cation exchange capacity• Increase microbial activity• Improve nutrient efficiency• Improve soil pH • Increase yields
Environmental Benefits of Biochar
• Sequesters carbon
Biomass Pyrolysis to Reduce Atmospheric Carbon*
Current situation – 4.9 gigaton increase per year
Pyrolysis -- 4.0 gigaton increase per year• 50% of Global Crop Residues• 50% of Global Forestry Residues
Pyrolysis – 3.1 gigaton increase per year• 50% of Global Crop Residues, • 67% of Forestry and Below Ground Biomass (stumpage)• Forest Thinning
* Review of the pyrolysis platform for coproducting bio-oil and biochar
Environmental Benefits of Biochar
• Sequesters carbon• Reduce nitrous oxide emissions• Reduces carbon emssions by reducing
fertilizer and lime application.• Reduce nutrient runoff• Other
GHG Emissions from Corn EthanolCorn ProductionFertilizer and Lime 15% Nitrous Oxide Emissions 25% Seed and Pesticides 3% Fuel, LP Gas & Electricity 7%
Biorefinery Natural Gas 34% Electricity 11% Grain Transport & Other 5%
Total 100%
Biochar Revenue from Crop Residue
One ton of crop residue = .45 to .67 ton of CO2
$20 per ton CO2 = $9.00 to $13.40 per ton crop residue
$50 per ton CO2 = $22.50 to $33.50 per ton crop residue
Pyrolysis Produces Biochar and Bioenergy
Co-products of Biomass Pyrolysis
• Biochar (high energy density solid)
• Bio-oil (high energy density liquid)
• Synthesis Gas (syngas) ( low energy density gas)
Bio-Oil & Syngas
• Operate pyrolysis facility• Co-fire electricity production• Transportation fuel (gas and diesel)• Renewable ammonia• Other
Indirect Land Use Conversion
Food versus Fuel versus Carbon
• Corn Ethanol -- (compete with each other)
• Biochar Pyrolysis -- (compliment each other)
Ag Marketing Resource Center
• Renewable Energy & Climate Change Newsletter (AgMRC.org).
• International Biochar Initiative (http://www.biochar-international.org/)
• U.S. Biochar Conference – June – Iowa State University (http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/biochar2010/registration.html)