U.S.-FocUSed Biochar report - BioEnergy Lists

Biochar GHG reduction accounting in:Potential Biochar Greenhouse Gas Reductionsronal Larson, PhDrongretlarson@comcast.netThe potential for Biochar to significantly contribute to U.S. climate mitigation effortsthrough atmospheric carbon dioxide reductions (CDR)5.1 SummaryThis section shows how 1 billion tonnes of carbon (1 gigatonne) in Biochar might be added every year to the soilin the United States while removing as much from the atmosphere - to the advantage of both. Biochar’s potentialbenefits for the United States in this Section’s topic area of greenhouse gas reductions are large in every sense ofthe Technology Assessment acronym “EPISTLE”; Economic, Political, Institutional, Societal, Legal, and Environmental.Interestingly, those benefits seem to grow monotonically. The greater the carbon dioxide sequestration,the greater will be the benefits. However, these benefits could be limited by two parameters; the upper boundon the total US land area and the expected annual productivity of that land. All countries face land availabilitylimits. However, the United States certainly has much available land that can be utilized for Biochar production.Many countries have a larger potential for increased biomass productivity – because they have better growthconditions for more months per year and because their soil has a greater potential for productivity improvement.But the US can produce much more biomass per unit land area than at present – and especially as Biochar is appliedto this country’s considerable available land.Using the “EPISTLE” framework to expand on the benefits of large scale Biochar:- Economic Benefits: Income will certainly rise in the forestry and agricultural sectors. Adding the energybenefits of Biochar as a new income stream will be hugely important in rural America. As Biochar productionincreases, so will this benefit.- Political Benefits: At the local producer level, Biochar could be even better received than wind or solar onvisual impact grounds. Nationally and internationally, politicians should find great benefit in having addressedPeak Oil, Job Creation, National Security and many other issues besides climate, without significantcost. Providing leadership on Biochar introduction should improve our international image.- Institutional Benefits: Mostly, the impacted institutions will be rural – which are some of the US institutionsmost in need of help. But all energy, climate, food, and forestry institutions will be impacted positivelyBiochar GHG reduction accounting in: Potential Biochar Greenhouse Gas Reductions51