Although agri-char, a.k.a., bio-char, is advocated by the IPCC and others, as recently noted use of the byproduct from bio-energy processes as a soil enhancement requires a change in agricultural practices. One enthusiastic advocate of agri-char is Biopact, an organization representing a compact between Europe and Africa in the development of bio-energy.
As soon as the IPCC released its preliminary report, Biopact heralded their BECS advocacy. Bio Energy with Carbon Storage is a “low-tech” initiative known to AG readers as agri-char.
“When carbon capture and storage (CCS) is coupled to biomass energy production,” writes the Biopact team, negative emissions are the result.”
Such carbon-negative bioenergy systems – which actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere – are the most radical tool in the climate fight. They come in the form of decarbonised bio-electricity or biohydrogen.
Ordinary renewables like solar, wind, non-CCS bioenergy or hydropower are all ‘carbon-neutral’ at best, that is, they do not add new or only modest amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere, but they do not take the greenhouse gas out if either. Bioenergy with carbon storage does.
The difference can be very significant: whereas the life cycle carbon emissions of ordinary renewables and nuclear range between +10 to +100 grams of CO2eq per kWh, bioenergy coupled to CCS can yield as high as -1000gCO2/kWh (that is: minus 1000 grams, hence “negative emissions”), and thus clean up the atmosphere by removing CO2 from the past.
Biopact CCS References
Commission supports carbon capture & storage – negative emissions from bioenergy on the horizon – January 23, 2008
The strange world of carbon-negative bioenergy: the more you drive your car, the more you tackle climate change – October 29, 2007
“A closer look at the revolutionary coal+biomass-to-liquids with carbon storage project” – September 13, 2007
New plastic-based, nano-engineered CO2 capturing membrane developed – September 19, 2007
Plastic membrane to bring down cost of carbon capture – August 15, 2007
Pre-combustion CO2 capture from biogas – the way forward? – March 31, 2007
Towards carbon-negative biofuels: US DOE awards $66.7 million for large-scale CO2 capture and storage from ethanol plant – December 19, 2007
Biochar and carbon-negative bioenergy: boosts crop yields, fights climate change and reduces deforestation – January 28, 2008
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Speaking of approaches to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore report upon progress in development of a organocatalytic process that can turn CO2 into methanol.