U.S.-FocUSed Biochar report - BioEnergy Lists

former term, as well as “Biochar”, appeared in the recently released American Power Act (APA), developed bySenator John Kerry. 625.6.4 Objections of Anti-Biochar GroupsThere has only been one main group vocal in their opposition to Biochar. Their (quite effective) opposition hasthree parts:Objections with no or minimum validity: Limited char lifetime and added soil productivity. These and othersare fully rebutted in a Q&A format at the IBI website. 63Issues which will benefit from certification: Biodiversity and indigenous populations issues. These objectionsseem resolvable if the certification procedures (already in process for Biochar) require that local populationshave a meaningful input.Topics which require more research: The issue of toxicity clearly requires a government-funded R&D effort.However, toxicity may not be a serious problem – given the long history of mankind’s living with char. Charcoalis even used to clean up toxic waste areas and is prescribed for oral ingestion.5.7 Needed Research and Activities to Accelerate Biochar GrowthContinued research and development is obviously needed to prove the preliminary favorable conclusions ofthis section. Many in-field experiments are critical. Research is needed especially on more photo syntheticallyproductive plant species. This Section may have significantly underestimated the B-wedges available as geneticspecialists achieve the same improvements for energy crops as they have for food crops.It seems that a relatively small incentive will be needed in many locations to justify Biochar’s use. Added soilproductivity may not be enough. Without policy, R&D and some early voluntary credits, the needed experienceto determine the values and economics of Biochar may be too-long delayed. Policy work should also include moreon the need and importance of conversion of land use, with analysis especially of impacts on biodiversity. Thebest forms of Biochar production will also depend on R&D advances in the transportation sector. More researchon electric and hybrid vehicles may remove much of the competing biofuels demand for B-wedges.Lastly, it appears that new improved forms of certification are especially needed – to overcome the valid concernsof Biochar-skeptics about biodiversity, indigenous populations, and other social and sustainability issues.The B-wedge estimates of this Section are only intended to be approximate. Emphasis should be placed on therealism of the nine proposed areas and postulated productivities associated with the nine different possible B-wedge types. The uncertainties are very high, much as in the projection of future fossil fuel supplies. Figure 5.3is an attempt to display this uncertainty – which is now predominantly due to uncertainty in future US and worldpolicy on carbon negativity.This Section’s often repeated value of 4 B-wedges is meant to be a most likely upper limit value; the odds areeven as to being higher or lower. But this graph is also meant to say that under those same optimum policies,the chance of getting at least 3 B-wedge is near certain – by 2050. Under these some optimum policy conditions,one might get to a mean of 3 B-wedges by 2040 and 2 B-wedges by 2030. Less-than-optimum policy would limitthe 2050 total to only the middle (orange) curve or even the blue lowest curve.62 http://kerry.senate.gov/americanpoweract/pdf/APAbill.pdf63 http://www.biochar-international.org/sites/default/files/Biochar%20Misconceptions%20and%20the%20Science.pdf64U.S.-Focused Biochar Report:Assessment of Biochar’s Benefits for the United States of America