Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Biochar (the non-fuel use of charcoal) is a carbon-rich residue produced by low-oxygen pyrolysis from biomass (agriculture/forest residues and waste biomass). There is good evidence that soil-applied biochar establishes a long-term, stable and easily measurable carbon sink. Therefore, by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in plant tissues, and by converting it into a highly stable form of carbon, a low cost and effective type of carbon storage emerges. Furthermore, the addition of biochar to poor soils, such as the extensive marginal and solonetzic soils of Alberta hold the promise of increasing crop yields due to anticipated maintenance of soil fertility, quality and productivity. Biochar is an emerging technology with global impact and considerable potential benefits for Alberta. Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures has conducted biochar work for the past five years, developing small-scale (batch and continuous types) pyrolyzers and producing and testing biochar from different Alberta feedstoc