Pitch
We trap 50% of CO2 from woody biomass waste and turn it into a valuable product, biochar . Biochar is used to improve soils and more.
Description
Summary
We are working to establish biochar manufacturing , across the United States.
Our manufacturing technology was developed by one of the top thought leaders in biochar, Dr. Hugh Mclaughlin. Hugh spent over 25 years in activated carbon(a material similiar to biochar) and about 8 years in biochar.
Biochar manufacturing will ultimately lead to less CO2 entering the atmosphere and will provide biochar to all over the US which will help to improve soils, improve animal health, reduce methane release from livestock, reduce point source pollution, help remediate and revive land like mine tailings and more.
The main market for biochar is currently agriculture where it is used in large amounts in the soils in the US and is used in animal feed in Europe. Biochar is also being explored for its potential application in environmental remediation, water filtration and other interesting applications.
Our focus will be to establish manufacturing capabilities in the agricultural centers of the U.S. such as California. We will build out the biochar market, mainly selling into the agriculture market where it is already used in large amounts. However, we will explore other potential uses of biochar, concurrently.
Is this proposal for a practice or a project?
Project
What actions do you propose?
We will first establish biochar manufacturing capabilities in Massachusetts. We will take wood-biomass that would usually end up at land-fills and turn it into biochar. We will sell our biochar through distributors to farmers who will use the biochar in their soils and animal feed
Once our manufacturing facility in Massachusetts is up and running, we will expand to California where there is a great demand for biochar.
Who will take these actions?
Nextchar will be opening biochar manufacturing facilities, in some cases with joint ventures. Our CTO, Hugh Mclaughlin will design biochar manufacturing units for specific applications.
We will work with research groups like universities and the USDA to explore the use of biochar in particular applications.
Our project is one part scientific discovery and another part building out the market. I along with the CEO, Steve Rogers and other team members will be working on building out the market by working with existing distributors and creating relationships with those interested in using biochar in their operations
Where will these actions be taken?
We will focus on agriculture intensive areas like California where there is a great demand for biochar. We will work in areas where there is a good supply of feedstock(woody biomass) and where biochar can be used like agricultural rich areas.
Instead of expanding one manufacturing facility, we will strategically locate production units(in joint ventures) across these areas so that biochar can be shipped short distances to the consumer.
We will start in the United States but global expansion is very possible.
In addition, specify the country or countries where these actions will be taken.
United States
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Country 3
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Country 5
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Impact/Benefits
What impact will these actions have on greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapting to climate change?
Biochar permanently traps 50% of the CO2 from woody biomass. It also reduces the sulfur and methane that would be released from the biomass if it were to decompose.
Biochar will reduce methane emissions(by an estimated 20%) from livestock when added to animal feed.
Biochar reduces the amount of water and fertilizer that is needed to keep soils healthy.
What are other key benefits?
Other key benefits are:
-improved soils
-reduced water and fertilizer use in soil
-reduced point source pollution(fertilizer entering water)
-ability to adsorb toxins and heavy metals from soils and water ways
Costs/Challenges
What are the proposal’s projected costs?
We are raising a seed round to establish manufacturing in Massachusetts and build out the market. This facility will produce about 1200 tons of biochar and sequester 600 tons of carbon, per a year. Biochar is typically valued at about 800$ per a ton.
The facility will cost about $500,000 to build. We aim to bring down the cost of building facilities as we scale.
Timeline
Short term - We plan to sequester millions of tons of CO2 with with in 10 years. Reduce water requirements for soil by close to 50%.Reduce fertilizer requirements by about 10-20%. We will help to improve the long term soil fertility of our land in the US and other countires . We will also reduce the amount of methane that is released from livestock.
Medium term - We will have discovered new and innovative applications of biochar and will be using the material to achieve other sustainable goals as well as continue to sequester carbon and reduce methane emissions.
About the author(s)
Check our website to learn more about the team.https://www.nextchar.com/the-team
By:
Nextchar
