Biochar Summit Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines (in November 2018)

1www.circlecarbon.com
Regional BioChar Summit
Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines - Tuesday November 13th, 2018
Productivity & Prosperity thru Soil Regeneration (Yuta Paglambo)
With Christer Söderberg, CEO Circle Carbon S.L. (Spain)

1.  What is Biochar?
2.  Why Biochar?
- Climate Security, Water Security, Food Security,
Energy Security
3.  “Terra Preta” Agriculture
4.  Slash and Burn vs. Regenerative Agriculture
5.  CHP – Power Co-Generation
6.  Climate Breakdown Mitigation
7.  Cost savings / Productivity increases
8.  Making Biochar; Kilns, Ovens, Retorts
9.  The Business of Biochar Business
10. Connection Soil / Ancient Wisdom / Identity
11. Mono- vs. Multiculture
12. “Terra Preta” Biochar Formula

What is Biochar?

What is Biochar?
Essentialy High Quality Organic Charcoal (*)
1.  Made from Biomass Residue (Cuttings, Corn
Husks, Coconut Husks, Sugar Cane Bagasse,
Rice Straw & Hulls, etc.)
2.  For Soil Enrichment Only
(*) Burned at 400°C to 800°C

What is Biochar?

Realities for the Farmer
•  Climate Breakdown
•  Local and Global Economy
•  Increase in Fuel Cost
•  Increase in Fertilizer Cost
•  Increase in Labor Cost
•  Increase in Demand for Quality Products
… And lower price paid for produce

Why Biochar (1)?
The Paris Agreement (COP 21, 2015): To maintain global average
temperature rise below 2°C, preferably not more than 1.5°C above pre-
industrial period (1850).
•  Climate Security
•  Water Security
•  Food Security
•  Energy Security
At COP 23 in Bonn (2017): With “Business As Usual” we are on route to
global average temperature rise of 4°C, with only 30% of necessary NDC’s
and a 1.7% increase of GHG emissions.

Report:
Greenhouse Gas Removal
September 2018
- The Royal Society
- Royal Academy of
Engineering
https://royalsociety.org/~/
media/policy/projects/
greenhouse-gas-removal/
royal-society-greenhouse-
gas-removal-
report-2018.pdf

“With current technology, and using all available land and waste biomass,
four NETs—afforestation/reforestation, changes in forest management,
uptake and storage by agricultural soils, and biomass energy with carbon
capture and storage (BECCS)—could be scaled up to capture and store
substantial amounts of carbon: ~1 GtCO2/yr in the United States and ~10
GtCO2/yr globally. However attaining these levels would require
unprecedented rates of adoption of agricultural soil conservation practices,
forestry management practices, and waste biomass capture.”
-  Negative Emissions Technologies and Reliable Sequestration: A
Research Agenda, National Academies of Sciences, October 2018
Source: https://www.nap.edu/resource/25259/Negative%20Emissions%20Technologies.pdf

“Terra Preta Agriculture”

"There was a city that stretched for 15 kilometers
without any space from house to house, which was a
wonderful thing to see, and the many roads here that
went into the interior of the highlands, fine roads, in
the interior of the river, A distance of six kilometers
or so, you could see some very large cities that shone
white, and next to this, the land is so fertile and so
normal in appearance, like ours, in Spain."
- Padre Carvajal / Francisco de Orellana, 1542

¿El Dorado?

Biochar-Based Regenerative
Agriculture:
1.  Retains Nutrients, increases Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
2.  Retains Water, availability to plant, high absorption, slow release
3.  Provides beneficial habitat for micro-organisms (EM, IMO, MM)
4.  Alters Soil Structure
5.  Lowers Soil Acidity
6.  Increased Fertilizer Efficiency
7.  Increased Irrigation Efficiency
8.  Increased Productive Soil Metabolisms (Mycorrhyza, Micro-Organisms)
9.  Improved Drainage, Aeration, and Lower Compaction
10. Increased Crop Yields
11. Reduced Fertilizer Costs by 10-20% (in some cases, eventually 100%)
12. Reduced Irrigation costs
= Growing “COOL” Products – Carbon Negative Footprint!

Agrochemical vs. Regen. Agriculture:
1.  33% of CO2 released today remains in atmosphere for 100 yrs,
19% remains for 1000 yrs.
2.  Decomposing Rice hulls are serious emitters of methane, x27
times more polluting than CO2.
3.  Water: 97% of water on planet is salt water, 2.5% is fresh water,
1% is available freshwater (50% to 70% of available freshwater
goes to agriculture).
Regenerative Biochar-based Agriculture improves nutrient retention,
requires less (or no) fertilizer, and improves resilience to extreme
weather
Conclusion: Regenerative Biochar-based Agriculture reduces need for
“Slash and Burn” (increasing fertility in existing land).

Pyrolysis (burning biomass
feedstock at 400°C to 800°C) makes
for a smoke free burn. (*)
(Many respiratory diseases, mostly in children – asthma etc. – are
due to air pollution)
(*) provided feedstock is dry.

Field Trial
April 2014 to April 2015 at Ecovinyassa Farm

The Beginning…

The Burn…

The practice of burning biomass residues is already
widespread in the Sóller valley (*), so there would be no
need for a significant change in habits in waste
management.
(*) however with harmful effects
This field study aims to demonstrate:
1.  the potential of biochar as a sustainable alternative to
seedling substrates and
2.  that the biochar leads to a higher yield of orchard crops in
combination with common organic fertilizers.

Preparing the Soil…

Treatment Amendment #1 Amendment #2 Fertilizer
A 35 t/ha compost
15 t/ha estiercol caballo
Sin biochar Estiercol de gallina
B 35 t/ha compost
20 t/ha biochar Estiercol de gallina
C 35 t/ha compost
Sin biochar Estiercol de gallina
D 35 t/ha compost
20 t/ha biochar Estiercol de gallina
Design of the Field Trial

A B C D
B A D C
A "Randomized block design" offers an unbiased comparison of
the control and biochar treatments.
Typical local garden crops that will be used are tomatoes,
cabbage, leeks, red beets, salad, green beans, beans,
cabbages, broccoli, peppers, melons, watermelons, pumpkins,
etc.

Preparing the Soil …

The Seedlings …

Disaster Strikes …

First Harvest

Starting again …

New Results …

Harvesting the results …

This field test was
done following the
guidelines established
by the International
Biochar Initiative (IBI).
Special thanks from
Alexandra Söderberg
for the help of Lluc
Crespi, Javier Andreu,
Eddie Brown
(Mallorca's Biochar),
Joan Puigserver, and
Sebastiana Massanet
(EcoVinyassa).

300 kg/h pyrolysis reactor, Australia, 2006
B.E.S.T./C.A.R.E. Pyrolisis Plant, Australia
Black Carbon A/S, Danmark

Circle Carbon Labs
Putting Carbon Where it belongs, in the soil…

Earth
We have a BIG problem…
And NO BIG solution…

Instead, we have trillions and trillions of very, VERY small solutions…
They are called microorganisms
Micron photography thanks to Robert Cirino, a.k.a. “Biochar Bob”.
Solving the biggest problem on Earth with the smallest organisms...

Microorganisms like to live in dark, wet, and warm places. The
kind of wet, warm places you find in a good compost pile.
Biochar is charcoal derived from biomass waste. The molecular
structure of biochar creates a vast number of cavities, as you
can see in the photo of rubber tree biochar used in the
background of this presentation.

Circle Carbon Labs makes a special biochar substrate, mixing
the biochar with compost (and other micro- and macro
nutrients) to colonize the biochar with microorganisms, and
uses the biochar-compost substrate to help farmers grow trees,
vegetables, and fruits, organically.
Growing trees, fruits, and vegetables like this has many
advantages...

Making compost is a very good way to manage organic
waste residues and retain nutrients in our food cycle.
Making biochar is a very good way to sequester carbon
from the atmosphere by putting it in the soil, where it
belongs, and stays for thousands of years.
Using Circle Carbon Labs Biochar Compost enriches the
soil by creating ideal habitats for microorganisms, the
catalysts for nutrient exchange between the soil and the
plants.
BIOCHAR + COMPOST = MICROORGANISMS
MICROORGANISMS = HEALTHY SOIL
HEALTHY SOIL = HEALTHY PEOPLE + HEALTHY
PLANET

Benefits of biochar:
1.  Soil Health - increased microbial activity & water retention
2.  Waste Avoidance - through better use of biomass waste
3.  Climate Security - reduced net carbon footprint
4.  Water Security - through cleaner and more efficient use
5.  Food Security - increased production and quality
6.  Energy Security - CHP* from biochar production
7.  Community Health - investing in our communities
* CHP - Combined Heat and Power systems

To summarize, at Circle Carbon Labs we make our special
biochar substrates mixed with compost (and other micro- and
macro nutrients) and help farmers grow better trees, fruits, and
vegetables, organically.
We consult, demonstrate and offer our services to convert
biomass to biochar with our mobile kiln or at our Circle Carbon
Labs production/demonstration/educational site.
We do this at the government and institutional level,
for small and medium businesses and farms,
for home owners and land owners,
creating healthy environments for a healthy planet.

Beyond a Zero Carbon Footprint
Converting biomass waste to valuable resources, growing
microclimates for more climate resilient and economically self-
sufficient communities.
Carbon Negative = Planet Positive

Circle Carbon Labs (Circle Carbon S.L.) offering can be divided into three
parts:
1.  Workshops, consulting, and training in:
a.  Soil Regeneration
b.  Carbon Sequestration
c.  Renewable Energies
2.  Demonstration gardens, agroforestry, and tree nursery for:
a.  Private farms and property owners (olive oil, wineries, etc)
b.  Public farms and institutions (local and regional government)
c.  Medium and large companies (i.e. hotel industry, restaurants,
etc.)
3.  Community Garden Club:
a.  4500 m2 with 200 individual 10m2 lots for growing carbon
negative vegetables and fruits.
b.  Community Café
c.  Community Zero Waste Shop

July 14, 2018

August 3, 2018

August 29, 2018

September 10, 2018

November 4, 2018

“Terra Preta” Basic Formula:
250 kgs Mature Cow / Horse / Chicken Manure
250 kgs Crushed (Shredded) Sugarcane
250 kgs Crushed Biochar < 5mm
150 kgs Crushed Shells / Lime Powder
100 kgs Cured Compost
1000 kgs
Sprinkle Effective Microorganism juice (EM / IMO / MM)
mixed 1:10 with water to keep humid (not dripping wet)
and turn regularly for minimum 30 days before using.

June 1, 2018

October 9, 2018

April 27, 2018

October 7, 2018

October 25, 2018

1.  What is Biochar?
2.  Why Biochar?
- Climate Security, Water Security, Food Security,
Energy Security
3.  “Terra Preta” Agriculture
4.  Slash and Burn vs. Regenerative Agriculture
5.  CHP – Power Co-Generation
6.  Climate Breakdown Mitigation
7.  Cost savings / Productivity increases
8.  Making Biochar; Kilns, Ovens, Retorts
9.  The Business of Biochar Business
10. Connection Soil / Ancient Wisdom / Identity
11. Mono- vs. Multiculture
12. “Terra Preta” Biochar Formula

Thank You!
Salámat Kaáyo
Circle Carbon Labs
www.circlecarbon.com
Christer Soderberg
603 815 770
christer@soderberg.com

Biochar Summit Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines (in November 2018)

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Biochar Summit Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines (in November 2018)

Similar to Biochar Summit Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines (in November 2018) (20)

More from Christer Soderberg

More from Christer Soderberg (13)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Biochar Summit Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines (in November 2018)