[Terrapreta] biochar and sugarcane growth (reply to AD Karve)

[Tom Miles]

Ron,

 

As others have remarked the trash (leaves) contain high concentrations of
nutrients that make it difficult to burn in industrial boilers. These are
appropriately retained in the char in the ARTI process, which would make a
good agricultural char. 

 

We need to think on two levels in this discussion: (1) the rural
smallholder, and (2) industrial production.

 

Charcoal made from leaves and applied directly by the rural smallholder is
one economy. The example is the ARTI kiln.

 

Charcoal made by processing the bagasse residue after processing the cane at
the mill is another economy. Or, collecting the trash for conversion to
charcoal at the sugar mill is an industrial economy distinct from the
smallholder. The examples are the processes converting 100 tpd or more like
Dynamotive, Renewable Oil Corporation, Ensyn, EPRIDA, and Carbon Diversion
Technologies (Antal).     

 

In recent years large gains have been made in India in converting bagasse to
heat and power at the sugar mills. And there is pressure at all (900?) mills
around the world to process the trash. There are also pressures and
incentive to convert the bagasse and/or trash to liquid fuels. We have
worked on industrial projects involving both those processes. 

 

Initially there may be more incentive for a sugar mill to make heat and
power from bagasse than to make charcoal. There may not be enough value for
the mill to bring in the trash from the fields for converting it to
charcoal. That is where there should be an opportunity for small producers
like JFBiocarbon, BEST Technologies, or char from the modular oil producers
like Advanced Bio Refinery, Renewable Oil International or Agritherm. 

 

See: http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/company

 

Tom

  

 

 

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