EVERYTHING YOU ever WANTED to KNOW about BIOCHAR 🔥

Summary

This video script offers an accessible explanation of biochar, a type of charcoal made from biomass through pyrolysis. It highlights the process's distinction from combustion due to the absence of oxygen, resulting in a pure carbon product. Biochar's high porosity makes it valuable for soil and water remediation, attracting nutrients to improve soil quality. The script also discusses the importance of inoculating biochar to prevent nutrient depletion in plants, and suggests methods for doing so, such as using it in compost piles or as chicken coop bedding.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Biochar is a type of charcoal created from biomass through pyrolysis, a process of thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen.
• 🔥 The difference between pyrolysis and combustion is oxygen; pyrolysis occurs without oxygen, leading to a pure form of carbon, while combustion requires oxygen and results in ash.
• 🌳 Biomass, such as wood, is commonly used to make biochar, but any recently living organic material can be converted into char.
• ♻️ Biochar has been used for over 2500 years, with its origins in the Amazon basin where it contributed to the creation of nutrient-rich Terra Preta soil.
• 💧 Biochar's high porosity allows it to have a large surface area, which can be equivalent to half an acre, making it effective for soil and water remediation.
• ⚖️ Biochar is environmentally friendly, capable of sequestering carbon and turning waste into a beneficial soil amendment.
• 🔨 Crushing biochar to a quarter inch or smaller is an important step to increase its surface area and effectiveness when used as a soil amendment.
• 🌱 Inoculating or preloading biochar with nutrients is crucial before adding it to soil to prevent it from drawing nutrients away from plants.
• 🐔 The speaker has found success using biochar as livestock bedding in chicken coops, which helps absorb nutrients and reduce odor.
• 🔗 The speaker recommends watching more videos on the topic for a deeper understanding of biochar production and usage.

Q & A

What is biochar?

Biochar is a type of charcoal created from biomass through the process of pyrolysis. It is a very pure form of carbon resulting from the thermal decomposition of organic material in the absence of oxygen.

What is biomass?

Biomass refers to living or recently living organic material. In the context of making biochar, wood is commonly used as the biomass source.

How is biochar different from regular charcoal produced in a fireplace?

Biochar is produced through pyrolysis, a process that involves thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen, resulting in a very pure form of carbon. Regular charcoal from a fireplace is produced through combustion, which involves oxygen and leaves behind ash and other byproducts.

What is the significance of the fire triangle in relation to biochar production?

The fire triangle consists of heat, fuel, and oxygen. For a fire to occur, all three elements are needed. In biochar production, the process of pyrolysis removes oxygen, preventing combustion and resulting in pure carbon.

What is the biochar retort and why is it preferred in the script?

The biochar retort is a system used for creating biochar. It is preferred in the script because it is hands-off, allowing the creator to light the system and return the next day to collect high-quality char with minimal interaction.

What is Terra Preta and how is it related to biochar?

Terra Preta, or black Earth, is a dark, rich, fertile soil with nutrient and water-retentive qualities, discovered over 2500 years ago in the Amazon basin. It is related to biochar because it is believed to have been created through the application of biochar by indigenous people.

Why is biochar considered environmentally friendly?

Biochar is environmentally friendly because it can sequester carbon that would otherwise decompose or end up in a landfill. It also improves soil quality and can be used to remediate soil and water.

What is the importance of porosity in biochar?

Biochar has an incredible amount of porosity, with one gram of well-made biochar having a surface area equivalent to half an acre. This allows it to attract and retain positively charged chemicals and nutrients, which is useful for soil and water remediation.

Why is it necessary to crush biochar before using it in soil?

Crushing biochar increases its surface area and makes it easier for the pores to be filled with nutrients, preventing it from competing with plants for those nutrients when used as a soil amendment.

What is the process of inoculating biochar and why is it important?

Inoculating biochar involves filling its pore space with organic matter to prevent it from drawing nutrients away from plants. This is important because a 'blank slate' biochar can negatively affect plant growth by absorbing nutrients needed by the plants.

How can biochar be made hydrophobic and what is the significance of reducing this property?

Biochar can become hydrophobic due to the solidification of tar and resin on its surface during cooling. Reducing this hydrophobic property is significant because it allows the biochar to absorb water and nutrients more effectively when used in soil amendments.