Edotco has developed a biochar pole for telecom towers that replaces some conventional cement with a blend of palm-based biochar and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS). The pole cuts carbon emissions by 10 to 15 percent compared to standard concrete poles while increasing compressive strength by 15 percent. The pilot was deployed at Universiti Utara Malaysia in Kedah, using palm residues from Kelantan and manufacturing in Perak. The pole serves anchor client Maxis and turns tower infrastructure into a carbon storage unit. Scaling this material faces real hurdles. Feedstock supply depends on seasonal agricultural cycles, and grid-level renewable energy is scarce across the markets Edotco operates in. The case study shows a working prototype but leaves open questions about cost per pole, supply chain reliability, and whether the carbon savings hold up when manufacturing uses fossil-heavy grid power. Worth a read for anyone tracking circular materials in hard to abate sectors.
