[Terrapreta] Making Charcoal in a Drum

[William Carr]

On Jan 29, 2008, at 2:38 AM, Michael Bailes wrote:

> I think you really need pyrolysis produced char to sequester CO2.
> This is the way to slow global warming.
>
> The question is
> How much can soil (s) and crops take.


In so far as pyrolysis is part of any fire, at some point in time.

Otherwise, char is char.   Burn biomass to the point that it's  
inedible by soil bacteria, stop before you reduce it to ash, bury it,  
and you've sequestered CO2 for thousands of years.

The point here is stopping before the ash stage.   Otherwise the  
Carbon just ends up in the atmosphere again.

The original Terra Preta deposits are supposed to run from 7% to 40%  
charcoal.