A Canadian cleantech startup sees a big future in biochar, but it can be high risk — via financialpost
. Airex, along with lumber producer Groupe Remabec and waste treatment company Suez SA, plan to build the plant roughly 800 kilometres northeast of Montreal in Port-Cartier, Que.As its feedstock, the facility will use waste residues from lumber production, including wood chips and branches, in order to produce 30,000 tonnes of biochar a year by 2026, destined for markets in Europe and North America.
“Producing biochar has a lot of merits, because of the climate change and environmental benefit to it,” he said. Airex’s biochar will be used not only for agricultural purposes, but also for concrete, asphalt and as topsoil for backyard gardens.Article contentIf made improperly, biochar can ruin soil for generations, warned Maren Oelbermann, professor in the school of environment, resources and sustainability at the University of Waterloo.
Once you’ve added it to the soil, it’s going to be there, potentially for decades to hundreds or more yearsOne of the most important steps in making high quality biochar is selecting a reliable feedstock, Oelbermann said. Given that bad biochar could ruin soil for generations, one might ask just how “environmentally friendly” it really is.Article contentThe answer depends largely on the production process, said Scott Chang, professor in the department of natural resources at the University of Alberta.
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