Producing, Characterizing and Quantifying Biochar in the Woods Using Portable Flame Cap Kilns

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Abstract

One of the biggest challenges in utilizing non-commercial forest biomass is its widely distributed nature. The best solution to the biomass problem, to avoid expensive and carbon-intensive processing (chipping) and transportation costs, is to process it onsite. However, conventional burn piles have destructive impacts on forest soil and provide no benefits other than fuel reduction. Converting forest slash to biochar onsite has many ecological advantages over the current practice of slash disposal by incineration in burn piles, including reduced soil heating and particulate emissions, along with multiple benefits of the biochar to forest soil health and water holding capacity when left in place. Making biochar onsite in the woods is a way to return a pyrogenic carbon component to forest soils that has been missing due to the recent history of fire suppression. Biochar is also a leading method of carbon removal and sequestration for climate change mitigation. In this study, we document a method for making biochar using a portable biochar kiln. This low-cost method utilizes hand crews equipped with water for quenching kilns before the biochar burns to ash. Simple techniques for quantifying and characterizing the biochar produced are incorporated into the method for the purpose of measuring impact and qualifying for carbon removal certificates to help pay for the cost of the work. We describe the CM002 Component Methodology that provides standardized procedures for the quantification of GHG benefits during three stages of the process: waste biomass sourcing, biochar production, and biochar soil application. The CM002 Methodology is based on international best practices, including the most recent VCS methodology VM0044 Standards and EBC C-Sink Artisan Standards. Reliable quantification methods utilizing appropriate safety factors are the first essential step toward eligibility for carbon removal finance.

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