Technology and business models around biochar in India presentation made at the biochar forum organised by - GIZ, The RRA Network, Govt of India National Rainfed Authority

1. Dr. N. SAI BHASKAR
REDDY
Director, The Earth Center
http://saibhaskar.com
saibhaskarnakka@gmail.com | 6th October 2020
BIOCHAR FORUM
Science, Policy and Practice Interface
Date: 5th & 6th October 2020
Time: 2:00 pm IST (end planned 5pm, latest 5:30pm)
Venue: Interactive Webinar https://zoom.us/j/98936696714
Panelist

2. Traditio
nal
Wisdom
Science
and
Technol
ogy
Commu
nities
Busines
s
entities
Biochar is a very old material, existing even
before human beings evolved. Unless some
synthetic materials are blended and named as
Biochar in the name of business.
Science and Technology : Scientists should
demystify knowledge and technologies for the
benefit of society.
Communities the main stakeholders
Business is to serve the communities on a large
scale.

3. CHARCOAL
PLUS
AMENDME
NTS TO
SOIL
BIOCHAR
FRAMEWORK
Other Environmental Applications

4. Raw material for Biochar is available in rural areas
(Stubble / Crop Residue / Forest litter / etc.) and the
final users are in the rural areas
The raw material transportation is very costly (it is
quite voluminous), so ubiquitous is preferable
Volume wise biochar does not shrink much
The ratio of weight of raw biomass : biochar varies
from 1:2 or 1:3 or 1:4 based on the technology
adopted)
Cheap Labour is available in the rural areas
Local Technologies reduce the costs of production
Therefore the industrial approach to biochar
production is not a highly feasible option in
many developing and poor countries.

5. There are various types
of biochars, based on
feedstock's and
production technologies.

6. Biomass from agriculture, forestry,
livestock rearing, food production
and processing..
Woody biomass— softwoods,
hardwoods, or a combination
Agricultural residues including
bagasse from sugar cane, corn
stover, rice husks, cereal straw, and
coconut shells, etc..
http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-9525-7
The complexity of biomass
(types, values, size, shape,
density, etc.) converting into
biochar is difficult by any single
design, so there is a need for
many different biochar
production designs that are
suited to specific feedstocks.

7. CROP RESIDUE (800 million tons of biomass burnt)
COTTON STALKS (22.3 million tons generated)
PROSOPIS JULIFLORA
RICE HUSK
OTHER BIOMASS
(in India)

8. Unblended biochar and biochar products
blended with other materials are being sold in
many countries at a wide range of retail prices
ranging from $0.08 to $13.48 per kilogram.
The average price reported was $2.48 per
kilogram.
http://www.biochar-

9. Trade secrets are defined differently based on jurisdiction, but all have the
following characteristics in common:
They are not public information.
Their secrecy provides an economic benefit to their
holder.
Their secrecy is actively protected.
Note: Product patents and process patents will make the independent sustainable
systems unviable.

10. The five P's of marketing by Kotler - product, price, place, promotions and purpose.
Also the three A's: Awareness, Acceptance and Accessibility.
Purpose

11. In the present market less than 25% biochar
businesses and production technologies
are from developing countries

12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-9525-7

13. A B C
CHIMNEY
PRIMARY AIR
SECONDARY AIR
GEO metal retort
Magh biochar retort 2
Magh biochar retort 1

14. Biocharculture integration into
traditional and local practices
should be encouraged.
Encouraging local communities
to produce and use biochar with
locally available raw material is
considered sustainable.
Biochar blends are mostly organic /
natural

15. Most of the charcoal production from wood is made by earth
mound kilns, but for conversion of crop residue this technology is
not convenient, and not all types of biomass are easily convertible
into biochar.
Presently with the traditional systems for the crop residue
conversions into biochar, the efforts in procuring the biomass and
converting into biochar is higher than the cost of buying the same
quantity of charcoal made from wood in earth mound kilns.
The technologies are also inefficient: from every 100 kgs of
biomass with the existing traditional technologies on an average
the yield is only 20 to 30 kgs of biochar.

16. Inefficient biochar production technologies should be
replaced in a phased manner over a period.
Ongoing traditional biochar practices should be
recognized and improved.
In-situ biochar production and application should be
encouraged and given top priority.
Large scale awareness of the pros and cons of biochar
production and application should be created.

17. The approach of having captive lands for biomass production
for large scale commercial production of biochar should not be
encouraged, because this approach competes with the limited
land resources.
To import biochar from any other country is also non-
sustainable and non-justifiable.
A farmer could produce about 100 to 200 kgs of biochar from
crop residue annually from one hectare of land, that would
otherwise be burned in the field. This is apart from using some
part of the crop residue for mulching, composting and fuel.

18. Low price of biochar in the
developing countries might
trigger exports
Subsidies a hindrance
Lack of awareness
Gardening
Agriculture (Large Farms)
Household
Others

19. Integrating biochar production and application locally is likely to be a more
sustainable practice than large scale centralized production and
dissemination.
There is a need for greater research and development on biochar.
All the biochar production technologies and application techniques should be
under open knowledge.
The efforts of all the companies and organizations involved in research
should be compensated by either national or international agencies, and the
components of biochar products should be revealed in the common interest.

20. All the biochar products/blends should be made open along with the
results.
Standardization of The biochar products (blends) terms or jargon
should be made by a common agency. The testing is very costly and
process needs to be simplified.
There is a need to standardize the biochar products for application
to different types of soils and crops in different geographic regions
and conditions.
Biochar as a byproduct should be given top priority for usage,
rather than producing biochar exclusively.

21. WAGES FROM PRODUCTION
INCOME FROM SALE

22.  FPOs or cooperatives or local enterprises for Biochar Production
 Enrolling people under the MGNREGA for gathering biomass and conversion
 Centers for production of biochar and local fertilizers with blends
 Allocation of land, water and basic infrastructure for the biochar production
 Networking with other FPOs in sharing the resources for continuous operation of the
plants.
 Investment / loans / subsidies / incentives from Government and other supporting agencies
 The stubble burning prevention schemes and carbon credits can be dovetailed
 Biochar production technology designs for small farmers should be cheap, efficient, mobile
and convenient for in-situ production.
 Poor Farmers Need Open Source Biochar Production Technologies and Standards

24. CROP YIELD
INCREASE
SOIL
IMPROVEMENT

26. • Agriculture productivity increases
• Low input agricultureNatural
• Local jobs and equity
• Local enterprisesSocial
• Least skills required
• BiocharcultureHuman
• Local infrastructure and technologiesPhysical
• Low carbon economy
• Low costFinancial
• Carbon sequestration and energy security
• Mitigation and adaptation to climate changeEnvironment

27. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/649995 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/921589 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/953940 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/878122 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/643892
https://web.archive.org/web/20171227063253/http://www.biocharindia.com/Home
https://archive.org/details/InterviewSaibhaskarBiocharEg
https://archive.org/details/BiocharInterviewOfDrNSaiBhaskarReddyByLauramunoz23October2013