PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Biochar is created through the pyrolysis of organic material. The process uses high temperatures in the absence of oxygen to produce a solid residue that is extremely high in stabilised carbon and can then be used by various industries, from horticulture to the pharmaceutical industry. Biochar, however, remains as a niche market although there is potential for widespread use, including providing climate friendly alternatives to concrete in the construction sector.
Current biochar production technologies are not yet able to produce this material on a large scale or at a price low enough to compete in wider markets, limiting its widespread adoption. One option is to use bio-waste residues from municipal composting plants as a feedstock that can be converted into high-value biochar.
Composting, and the transformation of biologically derived waste streams into nutrient-rich compost, is a cornerstone of the EU's circular economy strategy. By the end of 2023, all EU Member States were required to collect bio-waste separately or recycle it at source. Currently, around 38 million tonnes of municipal bio-waste are separately collected and processed annually by approximately 3 800 composting facilities across the EU. However, according to the latest report of the European Compost Network, just 17% of municipal solid waste is organically recycled through composting and anaerobic digestion. It estimates that 75 million tonnes of municipal bio-waste is generated every year across Europe, meaning more needs to be done to reach the overall recycling target of 65% by 2035.
Compost is vital for enhancing soil structure, allowing for better aeration, improving drainage and reducing erosion. It also helps to retain moisture in the soil during droughts by increasing water-holding capacity. But during the composting process, residues are screened out that are either burned or sent for landfill.
This positions biochar as an innovative and valuable addition to this cycle.
OBJECTIVES
The overall goal of the BIOCHAR project is to not only to address the scalability challenges of biochar production but also to create a blueprint for high-value biochar applications in industries such as construction, agriculture and environmental remediation. The project's outcomes will demonstrate the potential of biochar to enhance soil health, sequester carbon, and contribute to reducing CO2 emissions, all while aligning with the EU’s circular bioeconomy and sustainability goals.
Specifically, the BIOCHAR project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative prototype biochar production plant within the composting cycle, creating a closed-loop system. The key innovative process, ‘Pyrodry’, is a new drying and pyrolysis technology that is designed as a modular unit, so it can be easily added to composting plants to enable large-scale biochar production. Composting plants can use the entire screen residue from organic waste as feedstock for the pyrolysis process, meaning it no longer needs to be burned or sent to landfill. Pyrodry also harnesses the excess heat generated during the pyrolysis process, allowing the pyrolysis operation to be energy self-sufficient, while also enabling the drying and disposal of other waste streams, such as wet industrial sludge.
The main objectives of the project are as follows:
- the prototype demonstration system will be used to convert approximately 5 300 tonnes of wet biowaste into biochar annually at the Sonnenerde composting plant in Riedlingsdorf, Austria
- to use the demonstration to develop a broader concept for EU-wide dissemination, replication and expansion of a cost-efficient biochar production process that can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions significantly
- after biochar extraction, the project will also focus on developing and using climate-friendly concrete additives that will support sustainability within the construction industry
- obtain CE certification of the new biochar-enhanced concrete and asphalt products
- develop other high-value biochar products across various sectors
- establish biochar as a valuable material in both environmental sustainability and industrial applications
RESULTS
The expected results of the BIOCHAR-LIFE project are to:
- construct the first large-scale, plant-based biochar production installation targeting the European bio-waste market
- treat 5 320 tonnes of wet biowaste annually and pyrolysing it to produce 1 000 tonnes of biochar each year
- enable the production approximately 5 000 tonnes/year of added value products using the produced biochar
- produce up to 8 000 MWh of thermal energy per year
- develop biochar-enhanced concrete and asphalt, enabling the substitution of up to 15% of concrete with biochar
- expand the carbonisation process to other bio-waste materials, such as manure, digestate, sewage sludge, fermentation residues, food industry waste, grain residues and animal husbandry waste
- sequester 2 510 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year within biochar and allow buildings that incorporate biochar to CO2 reservoirs
- achieve CE certification and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for the use of biochar as an asphalt additive
- by the project's end, focus on replicating the technology, with the first commercial agreements expected to be signed with other composting facilities
