About Biochar
Biochar is a charcoal-like substance with many benefits for the biosphere, the realm of living organisms on Earth. It prevents dead plants
from releasing carbon into the air and pulls carbon from the air, locking it in prison for over 1,000 years.
It is not just durable and long-lasting, but also is known to have over 60 accepted commercial uses. To take just one sector of the economy, agriculture, we see that applying biochar in the soil decreases soil compaction, increases soil moisture, decreases presence of heavy metals, increases crop productivity and quality, decreases reliance on fertilizers, and removes pollutants from soil and water. It is a long-lasting soil amendment that reduces plant mortality in the germination stage by 20-30%, boosts growth of adult plants, and builds topsoil structure for plant roots.
Biochar is made from pyrolyzing organic matter, usually biomass that would have otherwise been waste. At Outlaw Biochar, we only use clean, untreated wood that would have otherwise rotted in the dump and released methane and other pollutants into the atmosphere. No mystery wood, no chemical contamination, no surprises. Just high-quality, reliable, safe biochar that you can trust.
You may be wondering what pyrolysis is. To pyrolyze is not to incinerate. Instead, what we call pyrolysis uses fire (pyro) to loosen (lysis) gas and oil from the carbon in the biomass, while retaining the carbon. Incineration, on the other hand, burns up the carbon. Pyrolysis accomplishes this feat by limiting the oxygen available to the fire. No oxygen, no incineration.
Biochar made in pyrolysis is very porous, and so is a powerful carbon-dioxide removal technology that stores carbon from the air, in addition to its use as a valuable soil amendment. Aside from agricultural uses, it is of value in the construction, energy, rangeland management, waste-disposal, water management, and wildland management sectors.
