Biochar trench production and hoof processing

Biochar - Yahoo Groups

Frits work with integrating TFOD trench biochar production with cattle stalls in Mozambique looks like a practical solution for a number of situations. Could raw, lumpy charcoal be provided as bedding for cattle, goats, horses and pigs, thereby crushing the char, capturing nutrients, reducing emissions, reducing odour / fly /insect pests, improving animal health and comfort, preparing biochar for composting or direct soil amendment.

Effects of biochar application on root traits: a meta-analysis

Effects of biochar application on root traits: a meta-analysis - Xiang - 2017 - GCB Bioenergy - Wiley Online Library

"Overall, biochar application increased root biomass (+32%), root volume (+29%) and surface area (39%). The biochar-induced increases in root length (+52%) and number of root tips (+17%) were much larger than the increase in root diameter (+9.9%); this result suggests that biochar application benefits root morphological development to alleviate plant nutrient and water deficiency rather than to maximize biomass accumulation. "

Read the full report from the link above.

Dennis Enright discusses biochar in Thailand

Biochar for small farm productivity – with guest Dennis Enright | Eco Living in Action

We go all the way to NZ to hear from Dennis and his biochar work in Thailand. This is closely linked to WarmHeart as well. A search here on the WarmHeart or Thailand tag will find more on this.

Biochar industry development in China

Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2017 21:56:30 +0800
From: "Tom Miles" <tmiles@trmiles.com>
To: "'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves'"
        <stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org>
Subject: Re: [Stoves] Air pollution in cities

"China is making a substantial effort to reduce air pollution. We have just completed the "2nd China-Asian Workshop on Biochar Production and Application for Green Agriculture -From Technology to Viable Systems" at Nanjing University and the International Biochar Initiative Asia-China center. Scientists and companies from around the region attended. We visited plants converting straws, manure, and biosolids to biochar and biochar fertilizers. China has invested in many biochar plants in Northern China, primarily to reduce air pollution, improve yields and soil fertility, and sequester carbon. They are currently building about 50 biochar plants. They have located a biochar plant in each of several provinces. They have tested the biochar fertilizer products in the field at more than 300 sites with impressive results. They have set up farmer coops and businesses to collect and densify crop residues at harvest. The pellets are used to store the straw and improve the efficiency for the process used to make the biochar, recover oils and vinegars, and convert the biochar into fertilizers that can be used by local for fertilizers. They have methods to account for the sequestered carbon. They grow more food with less fertilizer while reducing air pollution and sequestering carbon. Last year they converted 200,000 tons of crop residues to biochar. This year they expect to convert 800,000 tons of crop residues to biochar and biochar products. That is expected to grow to three million tons within five years. It is profitable for the farmers and for the biochar fertilizer companies.

Organizations through the region will be working with the International Biochar Association to demonstrate ways to reduce are pollution from crop residues by converting part of the residue to biochar and biochar products to smallholders and large crop producers."

Tom (Miles, IBI Chairman)

Biochar-compost mixture as amendment... oil palm seedlings (Malaysia)

Biochar-compost mixture as amendment for improvement of polybag-growing media and oil palm seedlings at main nursery stage | SpringerLink

Results

"Biochar, compost, and biochar-compost amendment improved polybag media’s chemical properties (pH, total C and N, C:N ratio, CEC, Mg, and Ca). There were no significant effects of the amendments on shoot biomass. However, root growth and shoot:root ratio significantly improved with 1.5% w/w C addition and 30% (v/v) compost with 75% recommended fertiliser rates applied. Furthermore, nutrient leaching measurement indicates that, EFB biochar significantly reduced ammonium-N leaching up to 21–46%."

Conclusions

"Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of biochar and compost co-application to improve the chemical properties of polybag medium and root development of oil palm seedlings."

Effect of biochar and biodigester effluent in Lao PDR

Effect of biochar and biodigester effluent on yield of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) foliage

Bounmay Bouaravong, Nguyen Nhut Xuan Dung¹ and T R Preston²

Plant Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Savannaket University, Savannnaket province, Lao PDR
bbounmay@yahoo.com
¹ Cantho University, Vietnam
² Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria (CIPAV), Carrera 25 No 6-62 Cali, Colombia

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate effects ef soil amendment with biochar and biodigester effluent on biomass yield of Taro.  In the first experimemt, five levels of biochar (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 kg/m²) were applied to Taro grown in 3*3m plots according to a completely randomized (CRD) design with 4 replicates. All plots were fertilized with biodigester effluent at the rate of 50 kg  N/ha. There were linear increases in yield of Taro leaves and petioles, and in their content of crude protein, when biochar was applied to the soil at levels from 0 to 2 kg/m². Soil fertility as measured by pH, water-holding capacity and nitrogen content was increased linearly according to the level of biochar.
In the second experiment, five levels of biodigester effluent  (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg N/ha) were applied to to Taro grown in 1*1m plots that had been amended with 2 kg/m² of biochar. Applying biodigester effluent at levels up to 100 kg N/ha resulted in linear increases in biomass yield and in crude protein content of leaves and petioles and to increased soil fertility as measured by pH, water-holding capacity and nitrogen content.

Biochar rice research in Indonesia

Biochar as a carrier for Nitrogen plant Nutrition: 3. Effect of EnrichedBiochar on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Yield and Soil Qualities 

 W. H. Utomo 1) , T. Islami 2) and, E. Wisnubroto 3) and H. T. Soelistyari 3) 
1) International Research Centre for Management of Degraded and Mining Land, University Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia. 
2) Research Centre for Tubers and Root Crops, University Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia, 
3) University Tribhuwana Tunggadewi, Malang, Indonesia. 

Abstract 
"A lot of studies have proven that biochar is a good soil amendment. With its high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), it was hypothesized that biochar can be used as the carrier of nitrogen plant nutrient. A study was conducted to investigated the effect of nitrogen enriched biochar on the growth of rice (Oriza sativa L.). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with the treatment of enriched biochar (2 enriched materials and 2 types of biochar feedstuffs), and the rice was planted on several soil acidity. There was 21 treatments combination which arranged in a Fully Randomized Design with 3 replications. Measurements were done for rice growth, rice yield, and some soil chemical properties, i.e. soil organic carbon and nitrogen content, soil pH, and Cation Exchange Capacity. The experimental results show that biochar was a good carrier for nitrogen plant nutrition. The growth and yield of rice planted in enriched biochar soil was as good as the rice growing in urea treated soil, even it had a higher yield. Nitrogen enriched biochar increased the fertilizer efficiency. Ammonium is a better enriched material for biochar than nitrate. "

What is your biochar story?

​Let's get regional biochar news stories some international air...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: tmiles@trmiles.com [biochar] <biochar@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 13 November 2017 at 03:26
Subject: [biochar] What is your biochar story? Help IBI help you, through Networking, Education, and Demonstration
To: biochar@yahoogroups.com

What is your biochar story? How are you using biochar and what have you learned about how to use it (and, how not to use it) with your crops and soils. How do you measure “success” with biochar? Share your story and IBI will help you find solutions.

The directors of the International Biochar Initiative will meet in Nanjing, China, next week to plan our activities for 2018. We welcome your suggestions. In the past year we have had a very productive series of newsletters, webinars, a study tour, and exchanges here and on other social media. We have supported international conferences and regional efforts in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas. We thank the businesses, NGOs, students, and professionals who have joined IBI to help with our goals to use biochar to improve soil health, food security, clean water, the environment, and climate resilience. We promote the use of safe, stable, and sustainable biochar through Networking, Education, and Demonstration. We have a new “All Star” Science Committee that will provide periodic reviews of research to members. We have ideas about webinars, study tours, demonstrations, online courses, biochar “solutioneering” teams to address specific issues, and improved  characterization, standards, and certification. IBI is managed by a small staff and volunteers. It is funded by members and donors. In the short term we need funds to improve our delivery and exchange of information through the website and social media. Join IBI and help us help you. http://www.biochar-international.org/join

IRENA | Biofuel potential in Southeast Asia Raising food yields reducing food waste and utilising residues

IRENA | Biofuel potential in Southeast Asia Raising food yields reducing food waste and utilising residues

This report has a huge amount of regional biomass data...

Bioenergy Byproduct to Soil Savior @BiomassMagazine

Bioenergy Byproduct to Soil Savior @BiomassMagazine: Production and sale of biochar at biomass-using plants can result in significant financial gains, but the industry is still working at building its myriad of potential markets.


This article is a nice lead in for 7Dec webinar (see below).

Free Webinar for biochar businesses

​
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: tmiles@trmiles.com [biochar] 
Date: 2 November 2017 at 22:59
Subject: [biochar] Boosting Bottom Lines with Biochar
To: biochar@yahoogroups.com

FREE WEBINAR Thursday, December 7, 2017 | 2:00 PM CST Boosting Bottom Lines with Biochar
Presenters: Moderator: Anna Simet Biomass Magazine Tom Miles International Biochar Initiative Jim Brown Karr Group Jonah Levine Confluence Energy, Biochar Solutions Inc. The buzz about biochar is getting louder, and as global market demand increases, bioenergy producers may have opportunities to capitalize. Join Biomass Magazine’s Dec. 7 webinar for an expert discussion about biochar properties, uses and market drivers, technology, how pellet or bioenergy producers can diversify offerings and add value to operations, and more.

Tom Miles

International Biochar Initiative

Biochar-international.org

U.S. Biochar Initiative

"Promoting the Sustainable Production and Use of Biochar"

www.biochar-us.org

@USbiochar

Facebook US Biochar Initiative