Biochar is gaining traction as a carbon removal solution that also improves soil health and crop yields. Made by heating agricultural waste in a low-oxygen process called pyrolysis, biochar locks carbon into a stable form that can stay in the ground for centuries. The market hit $1.7 billion in 2023 and is growing over 13% annually, with biochar accounting for about 90% of durable carbon removal credits. The Cisco Foundation is backing two early-stage biochar companies, Applied Carbon in the US and Poas Bioenergy in Costa Rica. Both use decentralized, modular systems to convert local agricultural residues into biochar on site, cutting transportation costs and making the technology accessible to smallholder farmers. Applied Carbon processes corn stover and wheat straw, while Poas handles wet residues from coffee and pineapple. Decentralized production is key to scaling biochar affordably. By turning waste into a value-added product on farms, these systems reduce methane emissions from decomposing residues, improve soil fertility, and create a new revenue stream through carbon credits. The article highlights real pilots, including a coffee mill in Costa Rica where biochar production directly benefits over 900 smallholder farmers.
