Biochar: A Multisectoral Pathway for Carbon Capture and Sustainable Development in India

Introduction

• Biochar is a carbon-rich charcoal produced from agricultural residue and organic municipal solid waste.
• It is poised to play a crucial role in the Indian carbon market set to launch in 2026, offering sustainable waste management and carbon capture solutions.

Potential in Waste Management

• India produces over 600 million metric tonnes of agricultural residue and 60 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually.
• Utilizing 30% to 50% of surplus waste can lead to the production of 15-26 million tonnes of biochar, removing 0.1 gigatonnes of CO₂-equivalent annually.
• Byproducts such as syngas and bio-oil could generate 8-13 TWh of power and offset 12-19 million tonnes of diesel or kerosene production annually.

Sectors Benefiting from Biochar

1. Agriculture: Improves water retention and reduces nitrous oxide emissions by 30-50% in semi-dry, nutrient-depleted soils. Enhances soil organic carbon, aiding in the restoration of degraded soils.
2. Carbon Capture: Modified biochar can adsorb CO₂ from industrial gases, though its efficiency is currently lower than conventional methods.
3. Construction: Acts as a low-carbon alternative to building materials, improving concrete strength and heat resistance, and capturing 115 kg of CO₂ per cubic meter.
4. Wastewater Treatment: Treats 200-500 liters of wastewater per kilogram, with a potential demand of 2.5-6.3 million tonnes of biochar. 

Challenges and Opportunities

• Biochar is underrepresented in carbon credit systems due to a lack of standardized feedstock markets and consistent carbon accounting methods.
• Barriers include limited resources, evolving technologies, market uncertainties, and insufficient policy support.
• Integration into existing frameworks and policies, alongside R&D, is necessary for large-scale adoption.
• Recognizing biochar as a verifiable carbon removal pathway could create 5.2 lakh rural jobs and link climate action with economic development.
• Additional benefits include improved soil health, reduced fertilizer requirement (by 10-20%), and increased crop yield (by 10-25%).

Conclusion

• Biochar offers a science-backed, multisectoral pathway for India to achieve its climate and development goals, though it is not a silver bullet.