Where have we been? Where are things heading? · Hope Mine Restoration project . Morgan Williams and Andrew Harley's biochar restoration work at The Hope Mine in Colorado. In 2010,

Where have we been? Where are things heading?

Biochar Commercialization: The Pathway Forward December 11, 2014

Erin Rasmussen

TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc

2012 Survey, by Jenny Knoth

2012 Pre-Conference Survey, Jenny Knoth, Carbon Cultures

October 19, 2012 33 participants



Updating the Survey

Hope Mine Restoration project Morgan Williams and Andrew Harley's biochar restoration work at The Hope Mine in Colorado. In 2010, the team installed the world's first fully scaled biochar mine reclamation trial at an historic silver mine 7 miles outside of Aspen, Colorado. Blended biochar soil amendments (made from dead pine trees), were applied to the mine waste rock piles to increase moisture retention and re-vegetate the steep slopes at the site (zero irrigation, 35 degree slopes, 8,000+ feet in elevation, and only 80 continuous frost free days). From Morgan Williams’ summary: http://youtu.be/TCaOlirfLic

TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc.

http://youtu.be/TCaOlirfLic

Where we’ve been Where things are going

Where we were in 2012 • Research, Guidelines • Experience w/ biochar • Projects incorporating

biochar

• Our 2012 meeting set the stage for the NW Biochar Working Group

Where we are in 2014 • NW Biochar is still an

informal working group of public and private papers

• Many more academic papers, & outreach

• Demonstration projects • Biochar in use in

stormwater filtering and other applications


NW Biochar Working Group nwbiochar.org

Biochar Producers http://bit.ly/1sBZdpq

• Email list • Web site • Meetings • Projects

http://nwbiochar.org/

http://bit.ly/1sBZdpq

Why Produce Biochar in the Pacific Northwest? • Locally produced • Natural product • Sustainable • Creates recycling opportunities and adds value to

abundant local agricultural and forest resources • Adds environmental and economic value • Needed in key local markets for agricultural production,

environmental protection and resource management • Can be integrated into existing energy and agricultural

resource infrastructure for production, marketing and distribution

• Can be produced and sold at a profit to maintain jobs NW Biochar Working Group Jan 2013


Biochar is Made at Small and Large Scales

Boiler 3 MMBtuh Hot Water 500 lb/h 25% Char

ICM Gasifier 4-8 tph Burt’s Greenhouses

Ontario, CAN

BioChar TLUD Cook Stove Seachar.org

Mobile Pyrolysis Black is Green (BIG) AUS

Greenhouse scale heat and biochar NE Biochar 1 t/10h


Making Biochar • Dry Fuel – Air Dried or Less than 20% MC • Temperatures – 400⁰C, 600 ⁰C, 800 ⁰C • Industrial Scale

– High Carbon Flyash, 10 CY/day – ICM Biochar 400 CY/day – Earth Systems 10-20 CY/day

• Farm Scale – Adam Retort 1-2 CY/day

• Small scale – – Top Lit Burn Pile – >0.5CY/day – Small Ovens – <10 ft3/day, Firepit kiln, Jolly Roger, Gasifiers – Stoves, BBQ – <ft3/day

10/18/2014 TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc.

Make Biochar to Suit the Purpose Processed Biochars Are Required for Some Applications

Biochar Supreme photo: Biochar Supreme biocharsupreme.com

SELECT BIOCHARS TO SUIT SOILS AND CROP NEEDS

10/18/2014

DIY BIOCHAR INDUSTRIAL BIOCHAR


Biochar Research

In 2012 – Great Academic work

from Cornell (Lehman and others)

More than 708 papers printed about biochar

Starting to characterize absorption/ adsorption for a variety of biochars.

Currently (Dec 2014)

More than 2,274 accepted papers in Scientific Journals (sciencedirect.com)

From 2013 – early 2015 – 1566 new biochar papers

Better characterizations of the properties of biochars, and understanding biochar applications


UC Davis Biochar Database http://biochar.ucdavis.edu/

Database introduced at


http://biochar.ucdavis.edu/

Washington Dept of Ecology & Washington State University

• Odor in Commercial Scale Compost: Literature Review and Critical Analysis

Ma, J., Wilson, K., Zhao, Q., Yorgey, G., & Frear, C. (November, 2013). Odor in Commercial Scale Compost: Literature Review and Critical Analysis. Washington State Department of Ecology. Retrieved November 12, 2013, from https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPa...

• Methods for Producing Biochar and Advanced Biofuels in Washington State - Part 4: Literature Review of Sustainability Issues, Business Models, and Financial Analyses

Manuel Garcia-Perez, et al published February 2013 https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1207035.html


https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1307066.html







2014 Literature Review: Toxics & Organics Remediated with Biochar

• Heavy Metals: Copper, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Mercury

• Explosives: DNT, TNT, RDX

• Herbicides: Atrazine, Acetochlor, Clopyralid, Fipronil, Glyphosate, Simazine, 2,4D, Trifluralin, Diuron (DCMU)

• Benzonitrile, Phenathrene, trichloroethylene, Triazine

• Hydrocarbons • Poly chlorinated biphenyls

(PCB)

• Pesticides & Fungacides: Pyrimethanil, Hexachlorobenzene, Pentachlorophenol, Lindane, Isoproturon, Endosulfan, Chlorantraniliprole, Chlorpyrifos, Carbofuran

• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) >50% of 4-& 5- ring PAH, >40% of 2- & 3- PAH

Peer reviewed research shows the following toxic organics are sorbed by biochar.

Literature Search: sciencedirect.com Compiled by TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc

http://www.sciencedirect.com/

Biochar Helps Re-vegetation and Environmental Remediation

BIOCHAR IN MULCH FOR HYDROSEEDING

www.permamatrix.com

Permamatrix , Photos from Robin Cook & Sunmark Environmental TR Miles Technical Consultants Inc.

Fiber with 10% Biochar

“This was the recycled nasty soil from the steel mill that still grew vegetation. There is a line of where we sprayed PermaMatrix and where it was not applied. The other vegetation died.” -- Drew Schaefer Sunmark Environmental www.sunmarkenvironmental.com

Biochar Improves Remediation


http://www.sunmarkenvironmental.com/

WSU Low Impact Development Center

LOW IMPACT DESIGN:RAIN GARDENS/STORM DRAINS

ROOF DRAINS

DEMOS: 8 Cities RESEARCH: • OSU – MS, MBA • EPA Corvallis • WSU Puyallup • Stanford/CSM

BIOCHAR IN COMPOST ROLLS AND BIO BAG FILTERS FOR SURFACE RUNOFF

Biochar Improves Water Quality


Biochar in Sand and Biofilters for Industrial Stormwater Filtration

Photo: Kennedy Jenks, Port of Tacoma, West Hylebos Pier Log Yard

Port of Tacoma, West Hylebos Pier Log Yard

Sand + biochar

biofilters

Sand filter

Up to 80% - 90% reduction in ISGP parameters: pH, Zinc, Copper, Turbidity, TSS & COD Small Scale tests: 70% Sand + 30% Biochar to capture Copper and reduce

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)


Biochar in Green Roof Media

Photo: Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center Adding 7% Biochar to Scoria based media improved the effluent with 70% reduction in Nitrates, 40% reduction in Phosphates and 70% reduction of Organics than un-amended control. Beck, D.A., G.R. Johnson and G.A. Spolek. 2011. Environmental Pollution 159: 2111-2118.

Using 30% biochar in scoria roof media increased plant water availability by 16% . Cao, C.T.N., C. Farrell, P.E. Kristiansenn, J.P. Rayner. 2014. Ecological Engineering 71: 368-374.


http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.01.022



http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.06.017



Biochar for Healthy Trees

No Treatment (right) 5% biochar + compost top dressing Tree roots at 18 months in compacted soils. Photo: Morton Arboretum Soil Science Laboratory

(Bartlett Tree Service & Dr. Makoto Ogawa) http://www.bartlett.com/tips/Biochar.cfm

Biochar + Compost Biochar + Mycorrhiza, Composted

• Increases disease & insect resistance • Improves microbial activity and soil fertility • Increases soil water retention, and available water to tree roots • Stimulates tree growth • Improves tree survival

Trenches with Biochar + Mycorrhiza can be used to rehabilitate diseased trees, like these examples from Japan ->


Biochar in Nurseries

PLANT HEALTH - Inhibits root disease Nutrient (P) carrier for poor soils

SOIL STRUCTURE- Vermiculite substitute

COMPOST AID - Peat substitute = Compost + Biochar

Ponderosa Pine in Soilless Media with Vermiculite (Left) and Biochar (Right)

2008 Calforest Nurseries 2009

Agronomic Benefits


Biochar in Structural Soil

ParkingForest.org Structural Soil, Cornell University www.hort.cornell.edu

Structural Soil under Permeable Pavement for larger canopy trees in parking lots.

Improves tree health, helps them resist disease • Adsorbs oils/metals from the parking lot • Filters rain water, keeps nutrients close to trees. • Increases water available to street trees.

Parking Forest PCC (Maria Cahill)


http://www.parkingforest.org/

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/

Agricultural Field Trials & Projects

Photos from Steve Griffith USDA ARS Forage Seed & Cereal Research Unit May 20, 2014 Wheat Trials


Biochar in Urban Gardening

URBAN FARMING GREEN ANCHORS

www.facebook.com/greenanchorspdx Ghost Peppers and Carolina Reapers


How can Public Policy create positive impacts with Biochar Projects?

Local: City, County State Federal

Agriculture WA DA, ODA USDA

Forestry ODF, WDF USFS, BLM

Transportation WASHDOT, ODOT

Ecology/ Environment

Portland Bureau Environmental Services

WADOE, ODEQ EPA

Economic Development Innovate WA, OR BEST

Energy ODOE USDOE

Education/Research WSU, OSU, UI, UM USDOE/Sun Grant

Extension WSU, OSU ARS


• Procurement – materials, carbon credits

• Policy – carbon goals, soil goals

• Grants – economic development

• Loan Guarantees • Research

US Consumer and Environmental Markets • Retail Garden and Landscaping

– Packaged consumer products • Compost and industrial byproduct char • Char suited to consumer needs

• Wholesale to – Landscape services – tree service – Specialty Crops, Horticultural, and Turf

• Bulk Char to Remediation, Erosion Control – Oilfield remediation and Filtration – Stormwater filtration

• Small scale agriculture - DIY – Community Supported Agriculture – Urban Farming


There are Many Emerging and Potential Biochar Markets

• Trees and Landscaping, Structural Soil • Nurseries, peat moss industry • Seed coating, prills and agglomerates • Green roofs • Urban Farms and Gardens • Turf Maintenance • Erosion Control and Soil Remediation • Stormwater and Water Quality • Specialized or strategic use in agriculture • Traditional horticulture, hydroponics, poultry farms • Food waste and food processors • Forest re-vegetation • Bedding, kitty litter


Short Term market development: 1. What do you see as the most immediate market opportunity in your sector?

• Research, demonstration projects, policy, and production could all be themes from the initial question.

• What needs to happen to build that market?

2. Prioritize the top three or four action steps to meet those needs. Longer Term market development: 1. What do you see as the longer term market opportunity?

2. What needs to happen to build long term markets? 3. Prioritize the most important three or four action steps to get this market developed.

Market Development Questions

Tom Miles, 2012 Marketing Development Slide


www.gasifiers.bioenergylists.org www.biochar.bioenergylists.org

TR Miles Technical Consultants, Inc. 1470 SW Woodward Way Portland, OR 97225 [email protected] www.trmiles.com 503-292-0107 503-780-8185 mobile

Design and development of energy and environmental processes Industries

Biomass energy Pollution control Materials handling Feed, Food and Fuels

http://www.gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/

http://www.biochar.bioenergylists.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.trmiles.com/

Documents

Where have we been? Where are things heading? · Hope Mine Restoration project . Morgan Williams and Andrew Harley's biochar restoration work at The Hope Mine in Colorado. In 2010,