Biochar Defination

Biochar is a type of bio energy produced by the incomplete burning of biomass used as
a fertilizer and to sequester carbon.
OR
Biochar is a form of charcoal that is produced by exposing organic waste matter
(such as wood chips, crop residue, or manure) to heat in a low-oxygen environment
and that is used especially as a soil amendment

Uses.
A) Use As Soil Conditioner
1. Carbon fertiliser, 2. Compost, 3. Substitute for peat in potting soil, 4. Plant
protection, 5. Compensatory fertiliser for trace elements
B) Biogas Production
6. Biomass additive, 7. Biogas slurry treatment
C) The treatment of waste water
8. Active carbon filter, 9. Pre-rinsing additive, 10. Soil substrate for organic plant
beds, 11. Composting toilets,
D) The cascaded use of biochar in animal farming
12. Silage agent, 13. Feed additive / supplement, 14. Litter additive, 15. Slurry
treatment, 16. Manure composting, 17. Water treatment in fish farming
E) Biochar in Textile Industry
F) Conservation of Food
G) USED IN COSMETIC INDUSTRY

BENIFITS.
Biochar Enhances Soil & Protects Water Quality
Increased Nutrient and Water Retention — Biochar outshines all other organic soil
material in its ability to attract and retain water and nutrients, as well as hold
phosphorous and agrochemicals.2 Plants are healthier and less fertilizer runs off into
surface water and leaches into ground- water.
Persistence — Biochar is relatively inert and therefore, persists in soil far longer than
any other organic soil additives.3 Because biochar lasts 100s to 1000s of years, its
benefits of nutrient and water retention and overall soil porosity keep working, unlike
common fertilizers and conditioners.
Less Fertilizer Needed — When added to soil, biochar improves plant growth and
crop yields while reducing the total fertilizer required. Nitrous oxide (N2O), a
greenhouse gas, released from certain fertilizers is 310 times more potent than carbon
dioxide CO2. Biochar conditioned soils reduce N2O off-gassing by 50-80%.
Biochar Fights Climate Change
Decaying or burning biomass releases CO2 into the atmosphere and plants reabsorb it;
this active carbon cycle has been in balance for millennia. Burning fossil fuels puts
excessive CO2 into the air, more than can be absorbed naturally. This traps heat in the
Earth’s atmosphere. Reducing atmospheric CO2 is critical to combat climate change.
A Perfect Circle Solution — Burning biomass through pyrolysis to produce energy
(heat and power) instead of burning fossil fuels is a carbon neutral process; it neither
adds to the climate-change problem nor reverses it.
Biochar holds 50% of the biomass’s carbon and when applied to soil, sequesters that
carbon for centuries, reducing the overall amount of atmospheric CO2 by removing it
from the active cycle. Biochar also enhances plant growth which absorbs more CO2
from the atmosphere. Overall, these benefits make the biochar process carbon
negative5 as long as biomass production is managed sustainably.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) — Heat and power produced during pyrolysis
can generate electric- ity and provide heat for individual homes and industries or
entire communities.
Biofuels — Combustible gases, including hydrogen, are captured during pyrolysis to
create syngas, a valuable fuel that can be sold or used on-site for energy production.
Bio-oil is another valued energy product produced during pyrolysis.
Solid Waste Conversion — Tipping fees, overloading of landfills and open burning
are avoided when bio-waste becomes a market- able product. Less waste means less
CO2 and methane emissions from landfills as well.
From Waste to Value—Once a worthless and costly byproduct, biomass waste is
now a valuable resource. Through biochar, bio- mass becomes a sustainable and
value-added product for urban and rural agriculture and forest communities creating
jobs, improving soil and reducing forest fire hazards, particularly in the
wildland-urban interface.
Carbon Offsets — Carbon credits are valuable assets for sale or trade in the offset
and cap-and-trade markets.

HOW TO ADD BIOCHAR IN SOIL?

Top Dressing – simply sprinkle your charged biochar on top of the soil
and wet it. This is most effective if you layer the top of your soil with a
compost and biochar mix.It is also common for gardeners to build up
their soil fertility over time by adding an 80% compost and 20% biochar
mix to the top of their soil, as required.
Tilling – The conventional way to work soil amendments in is to use a
tiller and mix it right into the soil

Hand Mix – If you are planting in pots, feel free to work the biochar
around in your soil with your hands or a small rake.

PUNJAB UNIVERSITY LAHORE