Biochar and the Fourth Generation Biofuel
Rajesh Prabhu
Polymer Engineering and Technology
Sanchit Waray
Surface Coating Technology
Keywords: Pyrolysis, Biochar, Carbon-Negative Energy, Fourth-Generation Biofuel.
Abstract
Biochar (also known as black carbon) is charcoal created by pyrolysis of biomass. It is a way of carbon capture from the atmosphere and storage in the soil for many years. The CO2 released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels can be trapped and stored in the ground thereby not only reducing the greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere but also improving soil fertility and water quality benefiting agricultural productivity in the process.
Currently Biochar projects are present on a small scale as those two points continue to be researched on to prove their large scale use. However Biochar offers a grand opportunity of reducing carbon in the atmosphere along with providing a renewable energy source in the form of biofuel. Hence it is an attractive proposition.
