On March 23, Sonoma Ecology Center, in collaboration with Napa Recycling and Waste, A Plus Tree, and Advanced Renewable Technologies started up their long-awaited biochar production facility in American Canyon. Funded by CAL FIRE as part of California’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, it has taken a 4- year journey through the Covid 19 pandemic, numerous municipal and permitting agency challenges, and the need to change operational sites, but we successfully navigated all of those hoops to a successful launch. We are still awaiting final CDFA approval to sell the biochar but we expect that within weeks. As part of the process we hired Best Environmental to conduct extensive air emissions testing and have been refining the system through advanced automation and feedstock preparation. We will be blending the biochar with Napa Recycling’s fantastic compost product, making a perfect enhanced product for your farm or garden. Contact Will Kelly at Napa Recycling after June 1 if you want to try it.

Napa Recycling and Compost Facility Pyrolysis System Setup.

Ribbon Cutting (L-R: Evan Jones, CAL FIRE; Cyrus DeVere, A Plus Tree; Raymond Baltar, Sonoma Ecology Center; Sarah Gaskin, A Plus Tree; Will Kelly, Napa Recycling.)

Emissions Testing by Best Environmental, Top and Bottom Photo

Biochar Pioneer & USBI Past Director Tom Miles Visits the Facility

Tour group from OJI Japan and OJI Uruguay Forest Company

We believe that each community should host a small to medium-scale pyrolysis facility like this one to convert surplus biomass to biochar. If you are interested in visiting the facility and/or learning more about the many benefits of biochar, please contact Raymond Baltar, [email protected].

Biochar Made From Wood Chips