Terra preta: how biofuels can become carbon-negative and save the planet

Terra preta: how biofuels can become carbon-negative and save the planet
Biopact, Friday, August 18, 2006

Most often, biofuels are seen as being 'carbon- neutral' in that they do not add CO2 to the atmosphere. When they are burned for energy, CO2 is emitted, but it gets taken up again as the new biomass grows, thus closing the carbon cycle and resulting in a neutral balance. This is the commonly held view of how biofuels are 'green'. In an early text, however, we hinted at the possibility of bioenergy doing even more by becoming truly carbon-negative: while using it as a source of energy, make it work as a carbon sink at the same time.