Robinson Carbon invests $16.3M in Louisiana biochar plant for carbon removal

Robinson Carbon, the carbon products arm of Robinson Lumber Company, is investing $16.3 million to build a biochar plant at England Airpark in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. The facility will run two rotary drum pyrolysis reactors and process about 100,000 metric tons of Southern Yellow Pine residuals per year into 16,500 metric tons of biochar for agricultural, horticultural, and pollution remediation markets. The company expects to create 42 direct jobs and support 60 indirect jobs, while retaining 22 existing positions. Once certified under the Puro Standard, the plant could generate roughly 40,000 CO2 Removal Certificates annually, each equal to one metric ton of CO2 removed. Robinson Carbon is also relocating a pilot reactor from Indiana to Alexandria for employee training ahead of full-scale production. The project extends a family wood products business founded in 1893 into carbon removal markets.