US Biochar Coalition (USBC)

🌟 Weekly USBC Policy and Biochar News Update🌟 As Congress winds down, Washington is preparing for a Republican trifecta in January, creating a pivotal moment for biochar policy. 🌾 The Farm Bill is on hold. With no political pathway for completion this year, a year-long extension of the expired bill is expected. Advocating for biochar’s inclusion in the new Farm Bill will be a top priority in 2025. 💵 Appropriations bills, including those supporting biochar research, are expected to be postponed under another Continuing Resolution (CR). The USBC will work to secure renewed support when the new Congress begins. 🛠️ Leadership changes in key committees will impact biochar policy. The House Agriculture Committee, which drafts the Farm Bill, will have a new Democratic Ranking Member. Meanwhile, the Natural Resources Committee’s Democratic leadership will also see a shift. 📣 Biochar is making waves globally! Penn State University researchers are enhancing biochar safety and sustainability, Rosy Soil raised $3.6M to expand its biochar-powered products, and Tata Steel is revolutionizing steel production with biochar. The New York Times spotlighted biochar’s pivotal role in carbon removal, accounting for over 90% of tracked CO2 removals last year. 🌍 From groundbreaking research to global industry adoption, biochar continues to grow as a key solution for climate action and soil health. Want to stay informed and shape the future of biochar? 🌱 Join the US Biochar Coalition as a member for exclusive insights and policy opportunities. This policy update is only a glimpse of the weekly newsletter we provide to our members. Together, we can drive real progress for sustainability and innovation. 💪 #Biochar #ClimateAction #USBC #Sustainability #Policy #CarbonRemoval

🤩 Super excited that the GigaTen is Coming to Life 🤩 🎬 The one and only Leila Conners - Director of the Legion 44 documentary on carbon dioxide removal (#CDR) - reached out to me about turning my monthly newsletter, the GigaTen, into a video format in an effort to create more regular, accessible content about CDR. 🔟 We will be digging a bit deeper into each of my *Top 10 CDR news* in this new exciting, conversational format. 👀 Check out this first 30 minutes episode where we chat about the latest CDR bill in the US, COP29 and Article 6.4, the latest biochar research, and much more: https://lnkd.in/gdQHX9zE 👇 Be sure to let us know what you’d love to see in this new format in the comments. 🔔 Make sure to follow us to not miss out on future episodes and subscribe to the GigaTen today: https://lnkd.in/gJt3tSM9 #carbonremoval #netzero #climatepolicy

🌍 Happy World Soil Day from the US Biochar Coalition! 🌱 Today, we celebrate the vital role soil plays in sustaining life on Earth. Healthy soil is the foundation of thriving ecosystems, abundant food systems, and resilient communities. Did you know biochar can supercharge soil health? Here’s how: 🌾 Improves soil fertility: Biochar retains nutrients and supports microbial activity, enhancing plant growth.   💧Boosts water retention: It helps soils hold water, making crops more resilient to drought. 🌎 Sequesters carbon: Biochar locks away carbon for centuries, helping fight climate change. 🛡️ Reduces soil erosion: Its structure enhances soil stability and resilience. As we work toward sustainable solutions, biochar is a powerful tool to restore degraded soils and nurture a more sustainable future. Join us in celebrating soil and exploring ways to protect this precious resource. Together, we can build a greener, healthier planet! #WorldSoilDay #SoilHealth #Sustainability #Biochar #ClimateSolutions #USBC

♻️ Circular Economy Brings Energy and Economic Efficiency Together 🌱 Don’t miss this enlightening conversation with our CCO, Jason E. Dodier! 🔗 Click here to read the full interview: https://lnkd.in/dDVvBV3M Key highlights: 💡 The transformative potential of #biochar, made from repurposed by-products, to enhance industries such as concrete, water filtration, and agriculture. 🔍 Challenges such as resistance to change, lack of standardization, and misconceptions about cost-effectiveness. 🌱 How a circular economy is a powerful tool to address systemic inequalities, especially in areas suffering from environmental degradation. A big thank you to Carlos Roa Viana for capturing this engaging discussion and to the VoLo Foundation for facilitating such a valuable Q&A session! 🗨️ As Jason says, “Waste is only waste if we discard it (...). Circular economy is inspired by natural cycles. That’s really what the future is about”. --- La entrevista está disponible también en español 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d_6i77ea #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #ClimateAction #GreenInnovation

🌾 This Thanksgiving, we at the US Biochar Coalition are deeply grateful for our community of innovators, advocates, and members dedicated to advancing biochar’s potential. 🍂 Biochar enriches soil, supports climate resilience, and fosters healthier ecosystems. Together, we’re making a meaningful impact on our planet and future generations. 🌍❤️ Thank you for your passion and commitment. Wishing you and your loved ones a warm and joyful Thanksgiving! 🦃✨ #Thanksgiving #Gratitude #Biochar #ClimateAction

🔥 New study: biochar permanence in real soils CONFIRMED 🔥 ✅ In a first of its kind, a peer reviewed study now shows what latest science has been telling us already: inertinite biochar does not decay in soils and represents permanent carbon removal. 🪨 As many of you know, the durability of biochar carbon removal (#BCR) has been an intense topic of discussion. Groundbreaking analysis by Hamed Sanei and Henrik I. Petersen has already demonstrated that we can measure the exact percentage of so-called inertinite in biochar, representing permanent carbon dioxide removal (#CDR). 🤔 A common concern, heard among others at the latest CRCF Expert Group meeting, is that we need actual evidence from real soils of how inertinite behaves in real soils. 😍 Well, we have just that now, thanks to biochar deposited in a Tuscan wine farm in 2009, unearthed now in 2024, prepared and analysed with modern reflectance rate testing. 🥊 The punchline: “This analysis clearly shows how the content of inertinite fraction share did not change during the 15 years in which biochar was active in soil, a soil which was subject to conventional farming practices, i.e. tillage, fertilisation, and all the typical farming operations carried out in vineyards. It confirms the permanence of such inertinite fraction under actual agricultural conditions even over long-term cultivation.” 💡 How much more evidence do we need? Are we going to continue to rely on short-term incubation experiments which erroneously extrapolate decay from volatile factions for millennia? Or are we finally going to trust compelling evidence that high quality biochars are largely composed of inertinite which does not decay in soils? 👏 Well done David Chiaramonti, Giulia Lotti, Francesco Primo Vaccari, and Hamed Sanei for literally getting your hands dirty to prove this important point. 🖇️ Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/dAyZ79hS 👏 What is your take? Can we consider the BCR permanence debate settled? ✉️ If you enjoyed this post and want to stay up to date on all things CDR, make sure to follow me here on LinkedIn (and turn on the 🔔) and do sign up to my monthly newsletter, the Gigaten: https://lnkd.in/d2BKe7gr

🌍 Webinar Recap: Building Biochar Markets for Value & Scale 🌿 Thank you to everyone who joined us for our webinar! It was an incredible session packed with insights and strategies to accelerate biochar projects and unlock new market opportunities. If you missed the live session or want to revisit the discussion, you can watch the recording here 📺 https://lnkd.in/dB4yt7WR 🔍 Highlights: ▪ Jason E. Dodier, Co-Founder and CCO of Grain, introduced the Knowledge Hub and shared the upgrades to our Equipment Matching Tool. ▪ Myles Gray, P.E., Executive Director of US Biochar Initiative, shared strategies for expanding biochar markets and highlighted key end-use applications, including soil amendments, construction materials, and filtration. ▪ Bernardo del Campo, CEO of ARTi, provided practical advice on selecting and optimizing biochar production equipment for scalable operations. A huge thank you to our partners, Myles and Bernie, and their teams for doing an excellent job. And thank you again to everyone who participated! We’re currently answering any remaining Q&A via email—if we haven’t reached you yet, please don’t hesitate to follow up. We don’t want to miss anyone! #biochar #sustainability #biocharmarkets #climatesolutions #carbonremovals

Vulcan Heavy: The Science of Biochar Production At BluSky Carbon, we’re committed to the science behind sustainable carbon removal. Our Vulcan Heavy system leverages the advanced process of pyrolysis to create biochar—a highly effective medium for long-term carbon capture and soil enhancement. Here’s how it works: In pyrolysis, organic biomass is heated at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. This controlled process thermally decomposes the material, transforming it into biochar while releasing energy-rich byproducts like syngas and bio-oil. Unlike traditional combustion, pyrolysis locks carbon in a stable, solid form, creating a carbon-rich biochar that remains sequestered for hundreds to thousands of years. Why biochar? Research from the International Biochar Initiative and the US Biochar Coalition (USBC) shows that biochar is uniquely positioned as a carbon sink. Its porous structure enhances soil health, improves water retention, and supports microbial life—all while sequestering carbon. This makes biochar a powerful solution not only for carbon capture but also for sustainable agriculture and land restoration. With the Vulcan Heavy, we’re harnessing the power of cutting-edge pyrolysis technology to make biochar production scalable, efficient, and impactful. #TechDeepDive #BiocharScience #CarbonCapture #Pyrolysis #CleanTech #BluSkyCarbon #SustainableInnovation #ClimateSolutions

😮 Maybe the best CDR policy were ever seen? 😮 🇺🇸 Yesterday, the Carbon Dioxide Removal Investment Act (#CDRIA) was introduced to the U.S. Senate by Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Having analysed it in detail, I am thoroughly impressed. Here is what you need to know: 🤝 The CDRIA is *bipartisan*, significantly increasing its chances of success. 🏭 It establishes a new production tax credit (PTC) - the 45BB. PTCs were originally designed for renewable energy production and are a tax benefit based on the volume of production (so $ per quantity). ✅ It is genuinely tech-neutral. The main criteria is durability of more than 1,000 years, which is in line with the latest science. Further, projects need to provide a net-negative lifecycle assessment. 💵 It would create a new tax credit worth $250 per metric ton of CO2 removed (and $110 for point source CDR like BECCS). This would be higher ($180/$85) and broader (not just DACCS/BECCS) than 45Q. Projects will not be able to double dip with 45Q. It is either, or. 💚 What about nature-based solutions (#NBS) which would not pass the durability threshold? Look, we need all solutions. And I hear the frustrations by all those who are not included here. Having said that, a PTC is not the right vehicle for NBS. The upcoming Farm Bill in particular, as well as USDA and the US Forest Service, offer a magnitude of ways to promote nature-based carbon removal. 🌟 I am so excited about this bill. I was just vigorously nodding along as I was reading it. While this doesn’t solve the demand problem CDR faces, it would completely change the unit economics for CDR companies in the U.S., just like 45Q did for DACCS. European policy makers, take note! 👏 Huge shout-out to everyone involved. I know some of you have been thinking about this for years (looking at you Giana Amador and Carbon Removal Alliance). Well done! 🔗 Check out the full bill here - I promise it’s worth the read: https://lnkd.in/dfWbaWtu 💡 Note: this bill has been introduced in the Senate only. It still has a long way to go. It will need to be introduced in the House of Representatives (ideally also in a bipartisan way) and then pass both Chambers. Given the priority on the confirmation of Trump and his appointees, progress is unlikely before Q2 2025. If you know more, please share. ⁉ What is your read of this bill and its chances of success? #netzero #carbonremoval #climatepolicy

📣 Calling on all my biochar superfans 📣 🔥 It’s no secret that I am on #TeamBiochar. And I want the world to know just what an amazing, circular climate solution biochar carbon removal (#BCR) is. 🤔 But I’m preaching to the choir here. The truth is we need to better understand what people actually think about biochar carbon removal in order to maximise its impact..  📋 That’s why Browning Environmental Communications is conducting a quick, 10-minute anonymous survey for biochar stakeholders. Whether you’re in sustainability at a corporation, in agriculture, government, finance, or simply interested in biochar, your perspective will be incredibly helpful. 👉 Survey Link: https://lnkd.in/dU-Jr7WR 👏 Big shout out to the International Biochar Initiative and A Healthier Earth for spearheading this effort. 🙏 Thanks for your time #carbonremoval #biochar