Biochar production process

It is impractical to produce charcoal on an industrial scale using traditional methods. Researchers have focused on the "pyrolysis" method, which involves the controlled pyrolysis of organic materials at temperatures ranging from 500 to 600 degrees Celsius in a state of anoxia. In addition to obtaining charcoal, pyrolysis can also produce by-products such as syngas and liquid tar, both of which can be used as fuel for power generation or heating.

Pyrolysis for biochar

The amount of biochar produced depends on how fast the pyrolysis process is. Fast pyrolysis yields 20% biochar, 20% syngas and 60% bio-oil. While slow pyrolysis can produce 50% charcoal and a small amount of oil. According to the UK's Institute for Governance and Sustainability, because modern pyrolysis plants can run entirely on syngas, the energy output is between three and nine times the cost of the energy required