Resources
Biochar White Papers, Reports and Studies
Here is an excellent technical report on biochar’s viability as a natural climate solution and its many other uses as well.
Here is a
link to a webinar sponsored by Dovetail Partners, IBI and USBI on Biochar in Viticulture that showcased our Oasis Vineyard Field Trial.
SEC/DWR Oasis VIneyard Final Report
Oasis Vineyard Quarterly Report_10_15_20
BiocharResearchProject_SPant_05-21-18 Forestry Usage of Biochar Literature Review, By Sophia Pant for SBI. Several years ago a Butte College student, Sophia Pant, did some great research for us on studies related to biochar and forestry, and related articles.
Biomass Acquisition, Biomass Energy, and Biochar Production in California, By Raymond Baltar
How Biochar Works in Soil, by Kelpie Wilson
Researchers discover high-def electron pathways in soil: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2017/03/researchers-discover-high-def-electron-pathways-soi l
Waste to Wisdom Final Reports. Utilizing Forest Residues for the Production of Bioenergy and Biobased Products
Biochar increases vineyard productivity without affecting grape quality: Results from a four years field experiment in Tuscany. Vineyard_Italy_4-year-trial
For a good series of biochar-related articles, visit the Pacific Biochar website’s Resources section.
Kelpie Wilson’s Awesome Info-Filled Website: Presentations, videos, white papers
Biochar Blogs
Kathleen Draper and Others, the Biochar Journal
Milt McGIffen, UCR
Past Webinars, Conference Videos, and PowerPoints
Oct. 2020 SBI Scaling Biochar Forum
Links to a large number of biochar presentations on the US Biochar Initiative Website
2016 Biochar Conference
The 2016 USBI Biochar Conference was held in Corvallis, Oregon on the campus of Oregon State University. Information and some presentation material can be found here.
2013 Biochar Conference
2013 North American Biochar SymposiumThe 2013 national biochar conference was held in Amherst, Massachusetts and it was attended by about 250 scientists, academics, technologists, students, foresters, policy makers, politicians, entrepreneurs, students, and just plain interested folks. GO HERE to download many of the PowerPoints. This is the same link where you will be able to access the videos as they are completed and uploaded so check back from time to time, or bookmark the link in your browser.
To access videos and PowerPoints from 2012’s Biochar conference held here in Sonoma, GO HERE.
Videos/Movies
Ice on Fire: A new HBO climate change documentary, produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Leila Connors (The 11th Hour), describes our current journey headlong into climate disaster but also also highlights a number of C02 drawdown strategies (including biochar production and use) that may help to blunt the worst effects of global warming.
Dirt Rich: A documentary featuring SBI’s own David Morell, New England Biochar’s Bob Wells, and well-known biochar entrepreneur and farmer Josiah Hunt.
US Biochar Initiative’s Video Link Page
A presentation given by Dr. Goreau at Tufts University in 2014. A MUST-WATCH!
COP20 report on the Arctic Methane Emergency. (Johannes Lehmann appears in the video at about the 23 minute mark) More info here.
The Secret of El Dorado — Terra Preta A good BBC-produced primer giving an important historical perspective and the “big picture” vision of how and why biochar can be used.
Biochar: Putting the Genie Back in the Bottle A TEDx video by Rob Lerner
SeaChar / Estufa Finca biochar stove demonstration Ray Gallian of Sonoma Biochar Initiative explains Biochar Biochar/Agrichar/Terra Preta The promise of Biochar The promise of Biochar Part 2 On the Farm Biochar_ A product for the future Making Biochar: with Peter Hirst of New England Biochar Rice Hull Biochar Trial Hangzhou, China 2007 Black Gold Agriculture Biochar in Costa Rica Making Biochar for Small Farms
Biochar Podcasts
The Vineyard Team Podcast with Raymond Baltar: Conservation Burning and Biochar Production in Vineyard Settings
KRCB Radio Interviews on Biochar
KRCB Radio Interview with Peter Hirst KRCB Radio Interview with Ray Gallian
Biochar Organizations
International Biochar Initiative
United States Biochar Initiative
California Biochar Association
North American Biochar Groups
Alaska Biochar
Biochar Hawaii
Central Illinois Biochar Group
Pacific Northwest Biochar Initiative
Rocky Mountain Biochar Initiative
Seattle Biochar Working Group (SeaChar)
South East Biochar Interest Group
UBI Hawaii
Commercial Production Technology
Biogreen Energy, France Pyreg, Carbon Technology Solutions PyroCal, Continuous Carbonization Technology, Australia New England BiocharThere is an interesting project in Belize right now with 5 mobile drum kilns that are used at coffee plantations to produce biochar and then move as more trees are pruned, etc and the biochar is left onsite for agriculture. We did a story on their work recently which is available at: http://www.biochar-international.org/carbongold (and there is contact information for Simon Manley at the bottom of the story).
Books
Burn: Using Fire to Cool the Earth, by Albert Bates and Kathleen Draper
The Biochar Solution: Carbon Farming and Climate Change (Sustainable Agriculture) by Albert K. Bates Biochar for Environmental Management: Science and Technology by Johannes Lehmann and Stephen Joseph The Biochar Debate: Charcoal’s Potential to Reverse Climate Change and Build Soil Fertility (Schumacher Briefings) by James Bruges Biochar-Ancient Agr Techique For 21st Century by Natan Snider The Biochar Revolution: Transforming Agriculture & Environment Edited by Paul Taylor PhD Ten Technologies to Save the Planet: Energy Options for a Low-Carbon Future by Chris Goodall BIOCHAR: A Cost Benefit Analysis in the Scottish Whisky Industry by Simon P. Messenger
Articles
Nature Magazine Online: Agriculture: State of the Art Soil
Adam Retort Summary New Australian Agricultural Study of Biochar Biochar Farms Putting Biochar Policy on the Right Track Biochar in Viticulture—New Results
NATURE STUDY;Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v1/n5/full/ncomms1053.html>