Pyrolysis of biomass is a promising and cost-efficient negative emissions technology to mitigate climate change. The solid product of pyrolysis is biochar. It can be stocked in soils with co-benefits for agriculture, especially in tropical areas. In addition to biochar, pyrolysis generates oil and syngas, which can be used for energy purposes.
Huge untapped potential
Despite the fact that this simple, ancient technique can help tackle global warming by pulling carbon from the air and storing it in the ground for centuries, the potential of pyrolysis and biochar as a net emissions technology is far from fully exploited: Carbon dioxide removal through biochar application currently accounts for only about one thousandth of its potential.
Moreover, the deployment of biochar on a wide scale could help improve the living conditions and boost the resilience of rural communities in tropical areas through higher crop yields, reduced plant uptake of contaminants, improved soil health, and access to new sources of income such as carbon credits.
Barriers to biochar uptake
Pilot projects with pyrolysis in the tropics have shown promising results. However, the upscaling of biochar remains low due to barriers such as limited resources available to farmers, the absence of a stable regulatory framework, and uncertainties regarding ownership, tenure, use rights, and intellectual property.
Research is needed that embraces a socio-technical perspective and generates socially robust approaches to accelerate sustainable uptake.
Project goals and research design
The objective of PyroScale is to generate know-how that policymakers and practitioners can use to successfully upscale pyrolysis/biochar projects. Accordingly, the research project focuses on the following question: What are socio-technical success factors and robust pathways for sustainably upscaling biochar projects?
The project consists of the following components:
- Analysis of around 40 current and previous pyrolysis/biochar projects in Burkina Faso, Vietnam, and Jordan with a focus on the socio-technical factors necessary and/or sufficient for successful upscaling.
- In-depth analysis of a successful project to identify the causal mechanisms underlying the factors conducive to upscaling.
- Co-designing of pathways to upscale two projects that have not yet been successful in this area.
At the end, a comparative assessment will be conducted to identify patterns and interventions that are effective and robust in different contexts. Best practices will be disseminated through different relevant channels, for instance, through WOCAT’s global database on Sustainable Land Management.
Through its dissemination activities, the project will provide international organizations and NGOs with crucial insights into more impactful development cooperation in the pyrolysis/biochar field.
