This is from the American Chemical Society journal via a press release. After making a bunch of this, I’d be tempted to have a “BBQ summer”.
From the ancient Amazonian Indians: A modern weapon against global warming
Scientists are reporting that “biochar” — a material that the Amazonian Indians used to enhance soil fertility centuries ago — has potential in the modern world to help slow global climate change. Mass production of biochar could capture and sock away carbon that otherwise would wind up in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. Their report appears in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology, a bi-weekly journal.
Kelli Roberts and colleagues note that biochar is charcoal produced by heating wood, grass, cornstalks or other organic matter in the absence of oxygen. The heat drives off gases that can be collected and burned to produce energy. It leaves behind charcoal rich in carbon. Amazonian Indians mixed a combination of charcoal and organic matter into the soil to improve soil fertility, a fact that got the scientists interested in studying biochar’s modern potential.
The study involved a “life-cycle analysis” of biochar production, a comprehensive cradle-to-grave look at its potential in fighting global climate change and all the possible consequences of using the material. It concludes that several biochar production systems have the potential for being an economically viable way of sequestering carbon — permanently storing it — while producing renewable energy and enhancing soil fertility.
DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ARTICLE
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es902266r
Sorry Steve still getting the hang of posting here.
Steve Schaper (21:49:40) said:
“Wesley Bruce, I didn’t write what you quote as if from me.”
I quoted you in full because what you said was good. However your right the format does make it look like a post from you doesn’t it. I’m not disagreeing but pointing out that just like every other system there is a diversity of solutions. No solution will work everywhere but each has its place. If the government tried to do soil carbon building as a greenhouse policy it would be a disaster since government always tries to impose the one solution in all environments.
One of the greatest proofs that the IPCC was not seeking a viable way to sequester carbon was the low priority it placed on soil carbon and its complete rejection of open ocean iron fertilization. Both are no-regrets options, I.E. Even if AGW was proved wrong [now I believe it is] there are other benefits that result and it can be done both in the free-market and at a profit.
“I do wonder about compaction on our heavy clarion-glencoe soils.” Steve Schaper.
Good point steve look into control track farming. Its a technology to keep a tractor running on a specific track every time so only that soil is compacted and the soil between the wheels remains uncompacted, never driven on. It solves the problem of compaction. I searched for a site on it but its a bit obscure. Its not new technology It came out as soon as high accuracy GPS became available.
Your right about the moldboard plow on the prairies. And you analysis of the local soil history looks very good. Where soils are restored annually by flooding the tool can still be useful.
Unfortunately some in the green movement attack the plow, in all its forms, mercilessly and I tend to take the defensive.
Swales, contour plowing, grass hedges near the edge of the fields (sown but not harvested as in the bible) and in steep terrain terrace farming are all controls on erosion and fertilizer run off.
You guys are blind to the simple observation that unless you bury carbon like coal or diamonds, most of it oxidizes and most of it ends up back in the air from whence it came as CO2.
You are not talking about a sequestration of carbon, you are takling of a merry-go-round with no permanent effect. Sheesh – talk about reason being being driven out by belief (or misbelief).
This is a science blog.
Geoff.
Terra preta was not developed to solve a (non existant) CO2 crisis.
I doubt very many on this blog give a rat’s pitui for limiting CO2.
I think the foolishness of burning a precious raw material like hydrocarbons will soon dawn on us, and CO2 emissions will be limited economically without Maurice Strong’s help.