Sustainable biochar production
About this good practice
During the COVID-19 pandemic, green transition and the reduction of energy consumption have become more and more accentuated among the stakeholders from Centru Region. Rising energy demand and raw material costs (the price of timber increased in the Centru Region from about 400 lei per cubic meter in February 2020 to a record high of over 1,600 lei at the beginning of May 2021) made local stakeholders identify more friendly-environmental technologies and solutions and to reuse the materials and the wastes. In this regard, in 2021, a family-owned business from Centru Region, incorporated into its workflow a circular bioeconomy approach for producing biochar by reusing wood waste. Using an innovative method ( the retort method of pyrolysis), the company uses 12,850 t/year of waste (10,500 t/year of wood waste from local and regional forest industries, 1550 t/year of coal dust/residues from other coal producing companies, respectively 800 t/year of coal waste) to produce biochar and other various bio-innovative secondary products (e.g. wood vinegar, wood oil and cellulosic alcohol). The products have a wide range of applications and are mainly used in agriculture as pesticides and fertilizers. Using this process for the valorization of the existing wood waste has multiple environmental benefits: substantial CO2 reduction, energy savings and valorization of agriculture biobased products, improving farming productivity for organic and bio-farmers.
Resources needed
The company uses the retort method of pyrolysis. The heat from the syngas combustion is used in the pyrolysis process and for drying incoming feedstock. Excess syngas is captured and stored for RES electricity production onsite.
Finacinal resources needed: 2,743,391.00 euro.
Evidence of success
The present GP is an example of how to deploy circular bio-economy principles at the industrial level while at the same time creating and activating local and regional supply value chains. Together with the environmental benefits, the valorization of biomass waste materials into valuable and sustainable products, also contributes to supporting the local economy, particularly regarding the generation of new jobs (12 jobs) and the company's sustainable development (turnover +65%; profit + 164%.)
Potential for learning or transfer
To multiply such sustainable practice examples, a strategic deployment agenda is needed for local and regional entities. Since the resource-emitting areas for bioeconomy developments and production activities are the forest-reach regions, and rural and coastal areas, it is possible that specific regions will experience a social and economic renaissance.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.