BIO-CHAR II: PRODUCTION, CHARACTERIZATION AND APPLICATIONS

Memo

When organic materials (woody or agricultural materials, organic residues, sewage sludge, digestate,…) are thermally decomposed in the absence of oxygen, one of the resulting products is bio-char, a solid compound rich in carbon and inorganic elements. Incorporated into the ground, bio-char is a porous soil enhancer that can lock up carbon, supply minerals, prevent nutrient leaching and water contamination and retain soil moisture. As a result, bio-char can be an efficient material to enhance soil properties while sequestering carbon. However, bio-char’s porous properties make it also suitable for a variety of value-added applications: adsorption of pollutants, filler for composites, catalysts, material for electronic applications, etc. Bio-char properties depend on the biomass feedstock used as well as the operating conditions used for its production.  Moreover, these properties can be manipulated by pre- and post-processing. By understanding and controlling these factors, it is possible to create value-added “designer biochars” for specific applications. The interest in bio-char has been booming all over the world.  A number of companies have jumped into production and the user community is looking for carbon-negative applications.  As a result, it is imperative to review the existing knowledge as well as to stimulate research and development activities to bring clarity to this field, ranging from feedstock selection and properties, to production and upgrading processes, from identification of applications to economics, from characterization to products standardization and policies. The conference aims to create a forum where the current knowledge as well as the future directions are openly reviewed and discussed. Main Themes and Proposed Sessions: History and long-term performance of bio-char: what can we learn from the past? Long-term monitored field studies Sustainable feedstocks for bio-char production: characterization, pre-processing and suitability/response to thermal processing Bio-char production processes: from torrefaction, slow and fast pyrolysis, gasification and hydrothermal processing Bio-char characterization: relationships among feedstock, production technology and characteristics Bio-char reactor technologies Co-products of biochar production: a biorefinery approach Bio-char physical and chemical post-processing (grinding, functionalization, activation Bio-char applications: soil amendments, adsorbents, catalysts, fillers for composites, electronic applications Bio-char handling, storage, markets and commercialization Bio-char use sequences: integration of value chains in agricultural models and forestry Bio-char policies, regulations, and standardization Case studies: success stories, failures, and lessons learned Biochar and climate change