It can improve soils, boost crops, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, produce electricity, filter water, improve compost, be fed to animals and even cook your dinner. It’s biochar, long hailed for its potential but is just now coming into its own.



Technically, biochar is biomass – such as wood, nut shells or animal manures – that has been reduced to carbon and minerals by pyrolysis (burning in a low-oxygen environment). In other words, it’s charcoal. When used in farming (or in your garden) it’s called biochar.

“Biochar is any biomass that has been heated and has turned black,” says Dr Lukas Van Zwieten, a senior research scientist with the NSW Department of Primary Industries. “Your pizza crust that has turned black in the oven is biochar.” Having said that, the burnt edge of your supreme pizza may not be as useful as biochar made from hardwood in a specially designed kiln. No two biochars are the same. It all depends on the materials used, and the method.