About the Biochar Discussion Lists and Terra Preta Website
Welcome to the Website for the Biochar Discussion List: biochar@yahoogoups.com
ABOUT THE WEBSITE AND LIST
This new addition ("Terra Preta") to the suite of bioenergy lists is going to strive to be the primary world web location for technical discussions on a new possible important use for biomass (that is described below).
What does "Biochar" or “TP” denote? By this term, I mean the intentional placement of charcoal in soil. Surprisingly, it is now becoming apparent that doubling and tripling of soil productivity can result. Surprising also that TP’s invention and proof of productivity improvements dates back several thousand years in Brazil. Lastly, on this list especially we expect to see a lot on production of charcoal – the third main aspect of biochar needing your input.
Biochar-policy@yahoogroups.com
We hope that soil scientists around the world will contribute to this list with soil answers needed by those others of us interested in a very different aspect of TP soils. That different aspect is that the sequestered charcoal is taking CO2 out of the atmosphere – apparently at a lower cost than any other means of doing so.
We expect some reading this to be skeptical that a fuel that worldwide is more popular than wood should be dumped in the ground at a time when we are hoping biomass can slowly replace our dwindling fossil fuels. Making this case, or disproving it, is the purpose of this discussion list. Let us hear from you. My job, which Tom and Ron say is easy, is to keep us on topic. They have committed to supply me a whole slew of TP questions that they feel are not yet well enough answered.
Let us all hear your questions – and answers.
Erich Knight, Biochar List Coordinator
Michael Bailis, Biochar List Coordinator
Ron Larson, Biochar-Policy List Coordinator
Tom Miles, Bioenergylists Administrator
tmiles@trmiles.com BACKGROUND: WHAT IS TERRA PRETA? Terra Preta: Soil Improvement and Carbon Sequestration, Cornell University (and attached flyer)
| Attachment | Size |
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| Flyer terra preta landuse strategy.pdf | 391.45 KB |
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Comments
Small farm biochar use
Poor farmers need to solve two problems which relate to biochar. Fertilizer costs are soaring and organic fertilizers need a boost to get farmers over the time-and-energy cost hump. Also, small farms need fuel to cook the food they eat. Relating the solutions to these two problems with biochar, in a practical and inexpensive way, will be the focus of my search and experimentation. This probably means home-built stove/kiln, burn process connected to kitchen, determination of quantities and types of biomass to be used, and techniques and quantities of biochar incorporation to soils. I would like to target about a half hectare of pasture and cropland for biochar treatment within a year. We are milking five cows and hope to reach ten within this same year. We have farmed these four hectares of land here in Honduras for over fifteen years. We will need counseling and discussion. We have done no biochar work yet.Thanks.