Standard Biocarbon Corporation (SBC) has announced the arrival in Portland, US of two pyrolysis machines to produce high quality “biochar'' from wood chips.
Biochar is used in agriculture, environmental remediation and storm water management, and has many other emerging uses. The machines, manufactured by Pyreg of Dorth Germany, were unloaded at the Eimskip pier in Portland in late-December 2022. Due to be operational in spring this year at the Pleasant River lumbermill in Enfield, they will produce about 100 tons/month or 10,000 cubic yards of biochar.
With Pyreg technology and consistent clean feedstock from Pleasant River Lumber, SBC said it will produce biochar equivalent to precision engineerable substrate carbon, suitable for high-value uses in remediation and materials not just for agricultural usage, which is more forgiving.
Studies have shown biochar to be effective for remediation of PFAS “forever chemicals” and heavy metals in soil and water. Biochar is also used to remediate non point source pollution from agricultural runoff, trapping nutrients before they reach waterways and making them available for reuse.
Biochar also has applications in urban storm water management improving resilience to extreme weather and promoting urban greening. In agriculture, biochar improves the storage capacity of nutrients and water, increasing resiliency and reducing the need for amendments.
With the phase out of biosolids application to farmlands due to PFAS contamination, biochar addresses a critical need for more efficient nutrient management.
Standard Biocarbon will supply certified carbon removal capacity to emerging private carbon markets such as puro.earth and carbon-future.earth, which offer corporations and individuals the opportunity to “buy back” their emissions.
Markets for both biochar and carbon removal have enormous potential for scale and the critical input, woody biomass, is in abundant supply in Maine.
Standard Biocarbon Financing and Grant Awards Project funding for Standard Biocarbon's biochar production plant has been provided by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), and Maine Technology Institute (MTI). The project is also supported by grants from the USDA, The Forest Service and MTI, as well as tax credits from FAME.
Additional project funding was provided by a carbon credit streaming agreement and associated royalty agreement with Carbon Streaming Corporation.
Standard Biocarbon Corporation receives pyrolysis machines for biochar production
