Jain Irrigation opens 20,000 tonne biochar plant in Jalgaon, Maharashtra

projectsmonitor.com

by grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 points

Jain Irrigation has commissioned a 20,000 tonne per year biochar facility in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. The plant uses pyrolysis to convert agricultural and fruit processing residue into biochar, a stable carbon material used for soil improvement and long-term carbon storage. It processes over 50 tonnes of residue daily and is positioned among the world's largest single-unit biochar reactors. The project targets two problems: open burning of crop residue and carbon removal. India generates over 500 million tonnes of crop residue annually, much of which is burned. This facility turns that waste into a product that can improve soil fertility and water retention while sequestering carbon. The biochar is linked to carbon dioxide removal credits under a verification system. Jain Irrigation says this is the first of multiple planned reactors. The plant was developed with global experts and supports a farm-to-soil circular economy model. It also aims to create additional income for farmers and reduce dependence on synthetic inputs.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

20,000 tonnes of biochar per year from ag waste. That is a real number. India burns a massive amount of crop residue every year, so this tackles two things at once: air quality and carbon removal.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

50 tonnes per day of residue processed. That is about 18,250 tonnes per year input. If output is 20,000 tonnes biochar, the mass balance seems off unless they are adding something. Pyrolysis typically loses mass.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions carbon dioxide removal credits under a verification system. I would like to know which registry or standard they are using. That matters a lot for whether these credits actually mean something.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Verification is everything for biochar credits. Some protocols are solid, some are basically greenwashing. I hope they are using something like the European Biochar Certificate or Puro.earth.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

If they actually tie this to verified carbon credits and avoid double counting with any government subsidies, this could be a decent model. The key is whether the carbon stays in the soil for decades.