Terra Preta Soil Technology to Save the Biosphere

Discussion in 'Earth Science' started by erich_knight, Oct 28, 2008.

  1. erich_knight Erich J. Knight Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    108
    Charles Mann ("1491") in the Sept. National Geographic, has a wonderful soils article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage to solve climate change.
    I think Biochar has climbed the pinnacle, the Combined English and other language circulation of NGM is nearly nine million monthly with more than fifty million readers monthly!
    We need to encourage more coverage now, to ride Mann's coattails to public critical mass.

    Please put this (soil) bug in your colleague's ears. These issues need to gain traction among all the various disciplines who have an iron in this fire.
    http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text

    I love the "MEGO" factor theme Mann built the story around. Lord... how I KNOW that reaction.

    I like his characterization concerning the pot shards found in Terra Preta soils;

    so filled with pottery - "It was as if the river's first inhabitants had
    thrown a huge, rowdy frat party, smashing every plate in sight, then
    buried the evidence."

    A couple of researchers I was not aware of were quoted, and I'll be sending them posts about our Biochar group:
    http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar/?yguid=122501696

    and data base;
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node



    I also have been trying to convince Michael Pollan ( NYT Food Columnist, Author ) to do a follow up story, with pleading emails to him

    Since the NGM cover reads "WHERE FOOD BEGINS" , I thought this would be right down his alley and focus more attention on Mann's work.

    I've admiried his ability since "Botany of Desire" to over come the "MEGO" factor (My Eyes Glaze Over) and make food & agriculture into page turners.

    It's what Mann hasn't covered that I thought should interest any writer as a follow up article.

    The Biochar provisions by Sen.Ken Salazar in the 07 farm bill,

    http://www.biochar-international.org/newinformationevents/newlegislation.html

    Dr, James Hansen's Global warming solutions paper and letter to the G-8 conference last month, and coming article in Science,
    http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

    The many new university programs & field studies, in temperate soils

    Glomalin's role in soil tilth & Terra Preta,

    The International Biochar Initiative Conference Sept 8 in New Castle;
    http://www.biochar-international.org/ibi2008conference/aboutibi2008conference.html


    Given the current "Crisis" atmosphere concerning energy, soil sustainability, food vs. Biofuels, and Climate Change what other subject addresses them all?

    Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages… SIMULTANEOUSLY!

    This technology represents the most comprehensive, low cost, and productive approach to long term stewardship and sustainability.
    Terra Preta Soils a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration,10X Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 3X Fertility Too. Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration.


    Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.

    Cheers,
    Erich

    Erich J. Knight
    540 289 9750

    P.S. : Biochar Studies at ACS Huston meeting;

    578-I: http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4231.html

    579-II http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4496.html

    665 - III. http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4497.html

    666-IV http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4498.html

    Most all this work corroborates char soil dynamics we have seen so far . The soil GHG emissions work showing increased CO2 , also speculates that this CO2 has to get through the hungry plants above before becoming a GHG.
    The SOM, MYC& Microbes, N2O (soil structure), CH4 , nutrient holding , Nitrogen shock, humic compound conditioning, absorbing of herbicides all pretty much what we expected to hear.
     
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  3. erich_knight Erich J. Knight Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    108
    NASA's Dr. James Hansen on Biochar

    This is the most important endorsment Biochar Land managment has recieved!

    I pulled out the the paragraphs that mention biochar from Jim Hansen's finished version :

    P 227:
    Carbon sequestration in soil also has significant potential.
    Biochar, produced in pyrolysis of residues from crops, forestry,
    and animal wastes, can be used to restore soil fertility
    while storing carbon for centuries to millennia [84]. Biochar
    helps soil retain nutrients and fertilizers, reducing emissions
    of GHGs such as N2O [85]. Replacing slash-and-burn agriculture
    with slash-and-char and use of agricultural and forestry
    wastes for biochar production could provide a CO2
    drawdown of ~8 ppm or more in half a century [85].
    In the Supplementary Material Section we define a forest/
    soil drawdown scenario that reaches 50 ppm by 2150
    (Fig. 6b). This scenario returns CO2 below 350 ppm late this
    century, after about 100 years above that level.

    Supplementary material Page xvi:
    Assumptions yielding the Forestry & Soil wedge in Fig. (6b)
    are as follows. It is assumed that current net deforestation will
    decline linearly to zero between 2010 and 2015. It is assumed
    that uptake of carbon via reforestation will increase linearly until
    2030, by which time reforestation will achieve a maximum
    potential sequestration rate of 1.6 GtC per year [S37]. Waste
    derived biochar application will be phased in linearly over the
    period 2010-2020, by which time it will reach a maximum
    uptake rate of 0.16 GtC/yr [85]. Thus after 2030 there will be
    an annual uptake of 1.6 + 0.16 = 1.76 GtC per year, based on
    the two processes described.

    [85] Lehmann J, Gaunt J, Rondon M. Bio-char sequestration in
    terrestrial ecosystems – a review. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob
    Change 2006; 11: 403-27.

    http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2008/2008_Hansen_etal.pdf
     
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  5. erich_knight Erich J. Knight Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    108
    CDM for BIOCHAR

    BREAKING NEWS!

    Biochar, the carbon-negative soil-improving energy biproduct, has made an incredible series of breakthroughs at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland.

    The International Biochar Initiative, www.biochar-international.org, announced today that Biochar is now being examined by the UNFCCC (United Nations Council on Climate Change) for status as part of the CDM (Clean Development Mechanism.)

    It's verifiable, it produces clean energy, it improves soils, it reverses desertification, it improves water quality, it could drive millions out of poverty, and it may be one of humanity's single greatest tools for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

    A copy of the proposal is posted on the IBI website at
    www.biochar-international.org/ibimaterialsforpress.html.
     
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  7. erich_knight Erich J. Knight Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    108
    Soil Carbon Sequestration

    To me, in the long run, the final arbiter / accountancy / measure of sustainability will be
    soil carbon content. Once this royal road is constructed, traffic cops ( Carbon Board ) in place, the truth of land-management and Biochar systems will be self-evident.

    A dream I've had for years is to base the coming carbon economy firmly on the foundation of top soils. My read of the agronomic history of civilization shows that the Kayopo Amazon Indians and the Egyptians were the only ones to maintain fertility for the long haul, millennium scales. Egypt has now forsaken their geologic advantage by building the Aswan dam, and are stuck, with the rest of us, in the soil C mining, NPK rat race to the bottom. The meta-analysis of Syn-N and soil Carbon content show our dilemma;
    http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/36/6/1821
    and
    http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/38/6/2295


    The Ag Soil Carbon standard is in final review by the AMS branch at USDA.
    Contact Gary Delong . www.novecta.com
    Read over the work so far;
    http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

    In my efforts to have Biochar's potential included, I have recruited several to join the list, briefed the entire committee about char when issues concerning N2O & CH4 soil GHG emissions were raised, fully briefed a couple of the 50 members when they replied individually to my "Reply all" briefs. The members cover the full spectrum of Ag interest.

    With the Obama administration funding an inter-departmental climate effort of NASA, NOAA, USDA, & EPA, and now even the CIA is opening the data coffers, then soil carbon sensors may be less than 5 years away. I'm told by the Jet Propulsion Lab mission specialists responsible for the suite of earth sensing satellites, that they will be reading soil carbon using multiple proxy measurements in 5 years. Reading soil moisture to 3 foot dept in two year with SMAP, Reading GHG emissions and biomass from the tree tops down next year when the Orbital Carbon Observer (OCO, get it

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    is rebooted, to 1 Ha resolution and don't even ask about the various spectrometric; lasers, UV, IR, lidars, temperature sensors, interferometry etc.

    Then, any farmer can click "Google Carbon maps" to see the soil carbon accounted to his good work, a level playing field to be a soil sink banker.
    The Moon Pie in the sky funding should be served to JPL

    Sowing Seeds With New Agricultural Carbon Accounting Tool
    ScienceDaily (June 2, 2010) — Carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural activity in the United States can now be tracked with unprecedented resolution because of a method developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
    A team led by Tristram West uses satellite remote sensing, computational resources and high-resolution national inventory datasets to pinpoint agricultural-based carbon emissions nationwide. The method, outlined in the journal Ecological Applications, provides a link between ground-based estimates and atmospheric measurements for any given agricultural point in the nation.
    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602131436.htm

    Since we have filled the air , filling the seas to full, Soil is the Only Beneficial place left.
    Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.

    Hope to see you at ISU for the 2010 US Biochar Conference

    Dr. Robert Brown <rcbrown@iastate.edu>, and the team in Ames Iowa are planing the next national biochar conference. The Conference will be June 27-30 in Ames Iowa Hosted by Iowa State University.
    http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/biochar2010.html

    WorldStoves in Haiti ; ( http://www.charcoalproject.org/2010/05/a-man-a-stove-a-mission/ ) and
    The Biochar Fund deserves your attention and support.
    Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon
    http://scitizen.com/screens/blogPage/viewBlog/sw_viewBlog.php?idTheme=14&idContribution=3011

    NSF Awards $600K to BREAD: Biochar Inoculants for Enabling Smallholder Agriculture
    http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0965336

    Thanks for your efforts.
    Erich

    Erich J. Knight
    Chairman; Markets and Business Opportunities Review Committee
    US BiocharConference, at Iowa State University, June 27-30
    http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/events/biochar2010.html

    EcoTechnologies Group Technical Adviser
    http://www.ecotechnologies.com/index.html
    Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)
    1047 Dave Barry Rd.
    McGaheysville, VA. 22840
    540 289 9750
    Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP





    Biochar current Developments in Research, Legislation & Reports:


    Biochar Soils.....Husbandry of whole new Orders & Kingdoms of life

    Biotic Carbon, the carbon transformed by life, should never be combusted, oxidized and destroyed. It deserves more respect, reverence even, and understanding to use it back to the soil where 2/3 of excess atmospheric carbon originally came from.

    We all know we are carbon-centered life, we seldom think about the complex web of recycled bio-carbon which is the true center of life. A cradle to cradle, mutually co-evolved biosphere reaching into every crack and crevice on Earth.

    It's hard for most to revere microbes and fungus, but from our toes to our gums (onward), their balanced ecology is our health. The greater earth and soils are just as dependent, at much longer time scales. Our farming for over 10,000 years has been responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. This soil carbon, converted to carbon dioxide, Methane & Nitrous oxide began a slow stable warming that now accelerates with burning of fossil fuel. Agriculture allowed our cultural accent and Agriculture will now prevent our descent.

    Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon,

    Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

    Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration (= to 1 Ton CO2e) + Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels = to 1MWh exported electricity, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.

    Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw;
    "Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes;
    "Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !".
    Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar.
    Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come.
    Microbes like to sit down when they eat.
    By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders & Kingdoms of life.
    ( These oxidised surface charges; carbonyl. hydroxyl, carboxylic acids, and lactones or quinones, have as well a role as signaling substances towards bacteria, fungi and plants.)

    This is what I try to get across to Farmers, as to how I feel about the act of returning carbon to the soil. An act of penitence and thankfulness for the civilization we have created. Farmers are the Soil Sink Bankers, once carbon has a price, they will be laughing all the way to it.
    Unlike CCS which only reduces emissions, biochar systems draw down CO2 every energy cycle, closing a circle back to support the soil food web. The photosynthetic "capture" collectors are up and running, the "storage" sink is in operation just under our feet. Pyrolysis conversion plants are the only infrastructure we need to build out.


    Legislation:

    May 14, 2010, Important Biochar Provisions Included in the Amercian Power Act
    IBI is pleased to announce that the American Power Act (APA), a plan to secure America's energy future, contains several important provisions to support deployment of biochar as a climate mitigation and adaptation tool. Senators Kerry and Lieberman released a discussion draft of the legislative plan on Wednesday.
    The APA contains three specific provisions related to biochar. The first provision is under the domestic offset program, under Title II, Subtitle A - Global Warming Pollution Reduction. Under Part D - Offset Credit Program for Domestic Emission Reductions, Section 734 lists projects that are eligible for offsets. This list includes "projects for biochar production and use".

    The second and third biochar provisions fall under Title II, Subtitle C - Achieving Fast Mitigation, Part II - Black Carbon.

    Section 2211, Report On Black Carbon Sources, Impacts, And Reduction Opportunities instructs the EPA produce a report that includes a section on "research and development activities needed to better characterize the feasibility of biochar techniques to decrease emissions, increase carbon soil sequestration, and improve agricultural production, and if appropriate, encourage broader application of those techniques".

    Section 2214 under the same Part II, titled Enhanced Soil Sequestration, authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to "conduct research, develop, demonstrate, and deploy biochar production technology for the purpose of sequestering carbon from the atmosphere." The program can fund up to 60 facilities and states that the Secretary "shall ensure that facilities receiving grants under this section represent a variety of technologies and feedstocks and are geographically dispersed."


    Senator Baucus is co-sponsoring a bill along with Senator Tester (D-MT) called WE CHAR. Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration Act!
    WashingtonWatch.com - S. 1713, The Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration (WECHAR) Act of 2009


    The Clean Energy Partnerships Act of 2009
    The bill is designed to ensure that any US domestic cap-and-trade bill provides maximum incentives and opportunities for the US agricultural and forestry sectors to provide high-quality offsets and GHG emissions reductions for credit or financial incentives. Carbon offsets play a critical role in keeping the costs of a cap-and-trade program low for society as well as for capped sectors and entities, while providing valuable emissions reductions and income generation opportunities for the agricultural sector. The bill specifically identifies biochar production and use as eligible for offset credits, and identifies biochar as a high priority for USDA R&D, with funding authorized by the bill.
    To read the full text of the bill, go to:
    http://www.biochar-international.org/sites/default/files/END09F94.pdf.

    Biochar systems for Biofuels and soil carbon sequestration are so basically conservative in nature it is a shame that republicans have not seized it as a central environmental policy plank as the conservatives in Australia have; Carbon sequestration without Taxes.

    Another significant aspect of low cost Biomass cook stoves that produce char is removal of BC aerosols and no respiratory disease emissions. At Scale, replacing "Three Stone" stoves the health benefits would equal eradication of Malaria
    The Biochar Fund :
    Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon
    http://scitizen.com/screens/blogPage/viewBlog/sw_viewBlog.php?idTheme=14&idContribution=3011
    The broad smiles of 1500 subsistence farmers say it all ( that , and the size of the Biochar corn root balls )
    http://biocharfund.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=75

    Major Endorsements:

    Senator / Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has done the most to nurse this biofuels system in his Biochar provisions in the 07 & 08 farm bill,
    http://www.biochar-international.org/newinformationevents/newlegislation.html

    NASA's Dr. James Hansen Global warming solutions paper places Biochar / Land management the central technology for carbon negative energy systems.
    http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

    Dr. James Lovelock (Gaia hypothesis) says Biochar is "The only hope for mankind"

    Charles Mann ("1491") in the Sept. National Geographic has a wonderful soils article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage.
    http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text

    Al Gore got the CO2 absorption thing wrong, ( at NABC Vilsack did same), but his focus on Soil Carbon is right on;
    http://www.newsweek.com/id/220552/page/3

    Tony Blair & Richard Branson in the UK and conservative party opposition leader John Turnbull and Abbott in Oz.




    Research:

    This is the finest explanation I have read on the process of biochar testing. Hugh lays it out like medical triage to extract the data most needed for soil carbon sequestration. A triage for all levels of competence, the Para-Medic Gardener to the Surgeon Chem-Engineer.
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/Characterizing_Biochars

    The Ozzie's for 5 years now in field studies
    The future of biochar - Project Rainbow Bee Eater
    http://www.sciencealert.com.au/features/20090211-20142.html

    Phosphorous Solution;
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/nishio

    The Japanese have been at it dacades:
    Japan Biochar Association ;
    http://www.geocities.jp/yasizato/pioneer.htm

    UK Biochar Research Centre
    http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/sccs/biochar/

    ICHAR, the Italian Biochar Association
    http://www.ichar.org/

    Field Trial Data Base; The new version of BiocharDB has been released! To see it, please visit http://biocharbazaar.org.

    Virginia Tech is in their 4 th year with the Carbon Char Group's "CharGrow" formulated bagged product. An idea whose time has come | Carbon Char Group
    The 2008 trials at Virginia Tech showed a 46% increase in yield of tomato transplants grown with just 2 - 5 cups (2 - 5%) "CharGrow" per cubic foot of growing medium. http://www.carbonchar.com/plant-performance

    USDA in their 2 nd year; "Novak, Jeff" <Jeff.Novak@ars.usda.gov>, & "david laird" <david.laird@ars.usda.gov>,
    There are dozens soil researchers on the subject now at USDA-ARS.
    and many studies at The ASA-CSSA-SSSA joint meeting;
    http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2009am/webprogram/Session5675.html

    Nikolaus has been at it 4 years. Nikolaus Foidl,
    His current work with aspirin is Amazing in Maize, 250% yield gains, 15 cobs per plant;
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.or...-using-high-doses-salicylic-acid-and-charcoal

    My 09 field trials with the Rodale Institute & JMU ;
    Alterna Biocarbon and Cowboy Charcoal Virginia field trials '09
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/node/1408


    Most recent studies out;
    Imperial College test,
    This work in temperate soils gives data from which one can calculate savings on fertilizer use, which is expected to be ongoing with no additional soil amending.
    http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1755-...quest-id=22fb1902-1c23-4db8-8801-2be7e2f3ce1b


    The BlueLeaf Inc./ Dynamotive study are exciting results given how far north the site is at 45 degrees, and the low application rates. I suspect, as we saw with the Imperial College test, the yield benefits seem to decrease the cooler the climate. In 2008, a 20% increase in grain yield was shown and for a forage mixture in 2009 a 100% increase in fresh biomass was obtained. Other parameters showing increases with CQuest Biochar included earthworm, nematode and mycorrhizal root colonization, supporting the hypothesis that biochar may serve as a refuge for soil microbes. Surface soil water infiltration was also greater in biochar amended soil.
    http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/arti...ts_With_Dynamotive_CQuestT_Biochar-90009.html





    Reports:

    This PNAS report (by a Nobel lariat) should cause the Royal Society to rethink their report that criticized Biochar systems sequestration potential;
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
    Reducing abrupt climate change risk using
    the Montreal Protocol and other regulatory
    actions to complement cuts in CO2 emissions
    http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/10/09/0902568106.full.pdf html

    United Nations Environment Programme, Climate Change Science Compendium 2009 http://www.unep.org/compendium2009/PDF/Ch5_compendium2009.pdf

    Congressional Research Service report (by analyst Kelsi Bracmort) is the best short summary I have seen so far - both technical and policy oriented.
    http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40186_20090203.pdf .
    Recent Up Date;
    http://environmental-legislation.blogspot.com/2010/02/biochar-examination-of-emerging-concept.html

    This is the single most comprehensive report to date, covering more of the Asian and Australian work;
    http://www.csiro.au/files/files/poei.pdf

    Dr. Scherr's report includes biochar. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6124

    I think we will be seeing much greater media attention for land management & biochar as reports like hers come out linking the roll of agriculture and climate.




    Biochar data base;
    TP-REP
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node

    Disscusion Groups;
    The group home page location, General orientation:
    Biochar (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar/
    Biochar POLICY;
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-policy
    Biochar Soils;
    http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-soils/
    Biochar Production;
    http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-production/

    Earth Science Terra Preta Forum, Great for students;
    Terra Preta - Science Forums
    http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/

    Given the current "Crisis" atmosphere concerning energy, soil sustainability, food vs. Biofuels, and Climate Change what other subject addresses them all?

    This is a Nano technology for the soil, a fractal vision of Life's relation to surface area that represents the most comprehensive, low cost, and productive approach to long term stewardship and sustainability.

    Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.
    Cheers,
    Erich
     
  8. erich_knight Erich J. Knight Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    108
    "The Biochar Revolution" by Dr. Paul Taylor

    The Biochar Revolution
    http://biochar-books.com/The_Biochar_Revolution

    Review: The Biochar Revolution: Transforming Agriculture and Environment, ed. Paul Taylor

    The General rule covering emerging technology, that the "Latest book is the best book" is obfuscated by both the near simultaneous publication of The Biochar Revolution with The Biochar Solution and the complementary content of each work.

    The Biochar Revolution reads like a encyclopedic companion and testimonial.
    Dr. Taylor has the best people in academia & industry, as well as the grassroots, hands-on journeymen, as authors. Their personal travails and triumphs in development and applications of biochar soil technologies are inspiring. In the collaborative traditions of Astrophysics, Dr. Taylor's day job, these authoritative innovators allow you to view this cohesive whole system of sustainable carbon management.

    The Australians are years ahead in broad field trials with many crops and in addition, have conservative political support of soil carbon sequestration. Paul opens a window on their consistent findings of increased yields, nutrient efficiency and major reductions in soil green house gas emissions.

    Dr. Taylor has focused his cosmic perspective to the crisis our carbon based life has created with the mis-allocation of carbon. He lays out a path for carbon's re-allocation that garners high agricultural yields, biofuels, and generous climate dividends.

    For the backyard shade tree mechanic to the sustainable energy entrepreneur, important lessons can be learned here. Simple to complex testing of biochars and soils, biological conditioning and formulations of chars are explained along with small scale home made pyrolitic cook stoves. The attention to the menagerie of clean biomass cook stoves for the developing world is prescient of the recent state department, CDC & DOE support of the UN Global Clean Stove Initiative for 100 million stoves.

    Since carbon is the center of life , this work holds interest for everyone.

    Erich J. Knight
    Chairman; Markets and Business Committee
    2010 US BiocharConference, at Iowa State University




    Kelpie Wilson, author, journalist and IBI Communications Editor has this to say about The Biochar Revolution;

    Review: The Biochar Revolution: Transforming Agriculture and Environment, ed. Paul Taylor
    I want to call this book: “Biochar, the Missing Manual.” This compendium of practical how-to articles on the art and science of biochar bridges the current gap between research and implementation of biochar systems. While basic research on the mechanisms of biochar-soil interactions proceeds at research institutions around the globe, farmers, blacksmiths, colliers and crafty inventors of all sorts have jumped into the business of biochar production and utilization. The Biochar Revolution collects the results and best practical advice that these entrepreneurs have to offer to the biochar community.
    In the book you will read about the challenges of designing low-emissions biochar production systems from small-scale stoves to farm-scale pyrolyzers. Another section of the book is devoted to explaining simple tests to characterize biochar and methods for conducting valid field trials. Biochar producers show how they add minerals and nutrients to maximize the effectiveness of biochar, and seasoned biochar business operators share the rudiments of their business plans including information on feedstocks, flow rates and financing.
    Because biochar is rooted in an ancient, proven practice, farmers feel empowered to experiment and are beginning to accumulate and document their results. But because biochar is new to science, it is not always possible to account for these results in a predictable fashion. We are fortunate to have a vibrant, grassroots movement of biochar practitioners who are so generous in sharing their results with us. When practice and theory advance to the point where they meet in the middle, then we will truly see a biochar revolution.
    -Kelpie Wilson, author, journalist and IBI Communications Editor
     
  9. jmpet Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,891
    I am sure you broke some forum rule here but anyway...

    I have long admired the properties of terra preta, tried buying some a few years ago unsuccessfully.

    I think there is basis in saying this unique South American soil was bio-engineered over hundreds of years; also think the rivers are man-made to be so snake-like... believe the indiginous were pretty smart.
     
  10. kpow777 Registered Member

    Messages:
    1
    This question is a good one to show the failings of this old soil classification system. Terra preta soils don't fit in this system, because it is an anthropogenic soil -- it is formed due to the actions of human beings.


    _______________________
     
  11. erich_knight Erich J. Knight Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    108
    I am an ornamental gardener / Landscaper of 31 years around Harrisonburg. VA. A six year advocacy for thermal conversion of biomass has lead me to engage several projects concerning soil carbon at JMU and VT, also collaborations with Bill Ruddiman at UVA, Dr. Mario Molina, Michael Pollan and E. O. Wilson.

    In June I was asked to speak to the EPA chiefs of North America at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. The most cited soil scientist in the world (some say the Universe

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

    ), Dr. Rattan Lal at OSU, was impressed with this talk, commending me on conceptualizing & articulating the concept.

    Poultry litter Biochars are proving of high value for in situ remediation of a vast array of heavy metals. also conservation of NH3 in composting by 50%.
    (see bellow my talk to EPA)

    On my return from Montreal, I got the call from Richard Landis at DuPont about collaborations with ORNL for Hg remediation work at Waynesboro, VA. In initial field trials, I instigated, they showed a 95% reduction of Hg uptake in the food web! The best feedstock for these High-P chars is poultry litter and for this application worth hundreds of dollars per ton.

    Also note the combined efforts by the Japan Biochar association & nuclear sciences for remediation of fallout from Fukashima. Using the double edge sword of Manure high P char for binding daughters of uranium in low contamination areas & biomass char to stimulate Phytoremediation with sunflowers & fungi to concentrate nucleotides for vitrification & sequestration for heavily contaminated areas.
    They are talking about cleanup in decade time scales verses centuries and pennies on the dollar with these in situ techniques.

    Short of a nano material PV / thermoelectrical / ultracapas*itating Black swan,
    What we can do now with "off the shelf" technology*, what I proposed at the Commission for Environmen*tal Cooperatio*n, to the EPA chiefs of North America, Bellow the opening text. A full Report on my talk at CEC, and complete text & links are here:
    http://tec*h.groups.y*ahoo.com/g*roup/bioch*ar-policy/*message/32*33

    The Establishment of Soil Carbon as the Universal Measure of Sustainabi*lity

    The Paleoclima*te Record shows agricultur*al-geo-eng*ineering is responsibl*e for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. The unintended consequenc*e; flowering of our civilizati*on. Our science has now realized these consequenc*es, developing a more encompassi*ng wisdom. Wise land management*, afforestat*ion and the thermal conversion of biomass can build back our soil carbon. Pyrolysis, Gasificati*on and Hydro-Ther*mal Carbonizat*ion are known biofuel technologi*es, What is new are the concomitan*t benefits of biochars for Soil Carbon Sequestrat*ion; building soil biodiversi*ty & nitrogen efficiency*, as a feed supplement cutting the carbon foot print of livestock & in situ remediatio*n of toxic agents, Modern systems are closed-loo*p with no significan*t emissions. The general LCA is: every 1 ton of biomass yields 1/3 ton Biochar equal to 1 ton CO2e, plus biofuels equal to 1MWh exported electricit*y, so each energy cycle is 1/3 carbon negative

    Beyond Rectifying the Carbon Cycle, the same healing function for the Nitrogen and Phosphorou*s Cycles
     

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