Biochar knowledge

The origin, production process and intended use of a material — what to establish before choosing a product.

How to distinguish carbon in a product, long-term storage and verified net CO₂ removal.

How to match a material to the soil, crop and purpose, and prepare comparable observations.

How to read analyses and certificates and compare offers using traceable information about the specific delivery.

A carbon-rich solid from thermochemical conversion of biomass with limited oxygen. Suitability depends on properties and use.

Organic material of biological origin. Its availability does not automatically make it suitable or sustainably sourced feedstock.

Conversion by heating with limited oxygen. It produces a solid, gases and condensable vapours.

The material entering production. Its origin, composition and preparation influence the final product.

The largely mineral residue from combustion. Biochar can contain ash, but the two are not equivalent.

The presence and distribution of empty spaces in a material. An image of pores does not itself measure a useful soil effect.

A measure of how acidic or alkaline a medium is. Measurement method and medium matter when comparing values.

In a defined aqueous extract, an indicator related to soluble salts. State method and units; distinguish it from conductivity of a solid material.

The capacity of soil to support essential functions such as root growth, water regulation and nutrient cycling.

A cultivation medium, often a mixture of selected materials. Results obtained in it do not automatically apply to field soils.

Mass of loose material per defined volume, including spaces between particles. Conditions and units must be clear.

The amount of carbon in a defined material or system at a given time. A stock is not itself net removal.

In plants, incorporating carbon from atmospheric CO₂ through photosynthesis. Temporary biological fixation does not guarantee long-term storage.

Keeping carbon outside the atmosphere for a period of time. Duration and the risk of loss need to be specified.

Resistance of storage to loss over time, depending on material and conditions. It does not imply the same storage lifetime for every biochar.

Removal after applicable accounting for emissions, losses and other adjustments within defined system boundaries.

Connected stages from obtaining feedstock to a specified end use, as included in an assessment.

A justified description of what would happen without the project. It provides a comparison under applicable rules.

An assessment of whether a claimed result goes beyond the baseline under the relevant scheme’s rules.

Emissions that did not occur relative to a justified comparison. Different from drawing existing CO₂ out of the atmosphere.

A defined quantity or production period with an identifier under established rules, linking the product to its records.

Selection of material for testing under an appropriate plan. Representativeness connects sample results to the batch.

Measurement/monitoring, reporting and verification: collecting data, explaining the result and checking it under defined rules.

The ability to follow connections between origin, production, batch, analysis, delivery and use.

A document of conformity with a defined standard and scope. It does not automatically mean suitability for every use or an issued carbon credit.

A unit issued under scheme rules for a specified quantity of verified emission reductions or CO₂ removals. Removal credits require separate evidence, not merely a product analysis.