Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Terra Preta & Biochar

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Pietro Galgani <peppox@hotmail.com>
  • To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Terra Preta & Biochar
  • Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:01:54 +0200




To everyone who wants to learn more about biochar:
Some time ago I stumbled on this page with a lot of resources about biochar,
including links to explanations on how to produce it on a small scale, a
review of companies that sell equipment and/or biochar, and scientific
research.

http://ahualoa.net/ag/notes_biochar.html


> Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:40:21 -0400
> From: venaurafarm@bellsouth.net
> To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: [permaculture] Terra Preta & Biochar
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [SANET-MG] Terra Preta
> Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 02:09:37 EDT
> From: Neal Van Milligen <CAVM@AOL.COM>
> To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU
>
> There are any number of terra preta or bio-char production sites in
> Google. In a nutshell it is the roasting of ground organic matter to
> produce what is essentially charcoal.
>
> The roasting process, or pyrolysis, can be polluting if done the old
> fashioned low tech way. In modern techniques the gases given off by the
> roasting or torrefaction of biomass is CO, CO2, methane and H2. If
> ambient air is used to stoke the process a significant amount of N will
> also be in the gas, up to 50%. In an oxygen deprived process the gases
> will provide a valuable substitute for propane with slightly less BTU
> per scf. If air is used in the process the gas will be a weak but
> still valuable flammable byproduct with BTU content from 135 to 300 per
> scf.. It can be used to power an engine or a generator or to produce
> heat for other uses such as to distill water or cooking.
>
> If the biomass used in the process costs $20 per green ton the bio-char
> terra preta will have about $100 per ton cost due to loss of moisture
> and reduction in volume. This excludes equipment, labor, site,
> maintenance, etc, etc. However, in many cases the biomass will have a
> negative cost, you are paid to take it.
>
> Different biomass inputs and different process techniques will result in
> different qualities of char. There is still more art than science
> involved and experience pays good dividends in this.
>
> Neal
>
>
> In a message dated 10/19/2010 11:59:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
> lflj@bellsouth.net writes:
>
> On 10/20/2010 12:09 AM, Neal Van Milligen wrote:
> > I read that a 140% increase in corn yields in a study done in Columbia
> > was attributed to the use of Terra Preta or char.
>
> (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/30/biochar-production-climate-change)
>
> > This is stunning considering the ease with which the char can beproduced.
>
> It is amazing for sure. Charcoal has an incredible amount of surface
> area and can store and retain (w/o leaching) an amazing amount of
> nutrients. Initially, with a constructed biochar farmsite there is a
> deficiency of nitrogen as the charcoal soaks up to capacity N from
> surrounding soil, then it is released to the plants. I always thought
> it was diffcult, polluting and expensive to produce.
> You say otherwise. Do you know of websites illustrating efficient
> methods of producing biochar?
>
> LL
> _______________________________________________
> permaculture mailing list
> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subscribe, unsubscribe, change your user configuration here:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
> Read the public message archives here:
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/permaculture
> Command to put in your browser's Google search box to search these archives:
> site:lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/permaculture [search string (omit the
> brackets)]
> List Usage & Guidelines:
> http://ibiblio.org/permaculture/documents/permaculturelistguide.faq
> Permaculture http://www.ibiblio.org/permaculture
> Permaculture Mailing List Blog
> http://permaculturelist.blogspot.com
> permaculture forums http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums
> List contact: permacultureforum@gmail.com




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page