About Biochar
Biochar is a stable, carbon-rich material produced through pyrolysis – the low-oxygen heating of biomass. While biochar can be made from many different feedstocks, the biomass we use in our system is wood-based.
Unlike a conventional fire, which burns wood down to ash and releases most of its carbon into the atmosphere, pyrolysis converts woody biomass into biochar while also generating useful heat.
How wood becomes biochar
Wood mainly consists of carbon rich cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. In pyrolysis, the wood-based biomass is heated to around 500–600 °C in a low-oxygen environment, causing it to break down into biochar, water vapour, and volatile gases.
In our system, the gases are captured and combusted to generate heat under controlled conditions rather than being released directly to the atmosphere. We channel that heat into a thermal storage system for later use.
What remains is a stable, carbon-rich biochar: a porous, carbonised structure derived from the original wood. Its high surface area and pore network make it well suited to soil use, where it can help retain water and nutrients and support beneficial microbial life.
The pyrolysis process
Biochar and soil health
Biochar has a highly porous, durable structure with a large surface area and a complex network of tiny pores.
When applied to soil, it can:
1. help improve water retention
2. reduce nutrient loss,
3. create habitat for beneficial microbes.
4. improve yields
Its cation exchange capacity can also help it bind and release nutrient cations more effectively, supporting healthier and more resilient growing conditions.
Who it’s for
Our biochar is available for growers and gardeners through our range of Soil Oomph products. For agricultural applications, or if you’d like to explore biochar carbon removal for your business, please get in touch.
