What is the potential of biochar?

📰 IN NEWS – Biochar and Its Potential for India's Carbon Market🕒 Updated: August 7, 2025, 08:30 AM IST

🔗 Source: The Hindu – What is the potential of biochar? | Explained

✅ Why in News?

With India’s carbon market set to launch in 2026, biochar is gaining attention as a sustainable solution for carbon removal and waste management.

✅ What is Biochar?

• A carbon-rich charcoal made from agricultural residue and organic municipal solid waste.
• Functions as a carbon sink, soil enhancer, and pollution mitigator.

✅ India’s Potential with Biochar

• 600+ million tonnes of agri residue and 60+ million tonnes of municipal waste annually.
• Using 30–50% of this waste could yield:
  • 15–26 million tonnes of biochar
  • 0.1 Gt CO₂-equivalent removal annually
  • Byproducts:
    • Syngas (20–30 million tonnes): → Can generate 8–13 TWh electricity
    • Bio-oil (24–40 million tonnes): → Could offset 12–19 million tonnes of diesel/kerosene

✅ Applications Across Sectors

1. Agriculture
   • Improves water retention in degraded soils
   • Reduces N₂O emissions by 30–50% (N₂O = 273× warming potential of CO₂)
   • Enhances crop yield (by 10–25%) and reduces fertilizer use (by 10–20%)
2. Construction
   • 2–5% biochar in concrete: Improves strength, heat resistance (+20%), captures 115 kg CO₂/m³
3. Wastewater Treatment
   • Can treat 200–500L/kg of wastewater
   • Demand: 2.5–6.3 million tonnes of biochar annually
4. Carbon Capture
   • Can adsorb CO₂ from industrial emissions
   • Lower efficiency than current methods but has long-term potential

✅ Challenges to Adoption

• Underrepresentedin carbon credit systems due to:
  • Lack of standardised feedstock
  • Inconsistent carbon accounting
• Other Barriers:
  • Evolving technology
  • Limited awareness
  • Weak policy coordination
  • No large-scale business models

✅ Way Forward

• Support R&D for region-specific feedstock
• Integrate into:
  • Crop residue management schemes
  • Bioenergy & State Climate Action Plans
• Recognize biochar in carbon markets to create income opportunities
• Deploy village-level biochar units → Potential for 5.2 lakh rural jobs

✅ Conclusion

Though not a silver bullet, biochar offers a science-backed, multi-sectoral pathway for India’s climate goals — blending carbon removal, rural development, and energy transition.