Biochar – A Multisectoral Climate Solution for India

What is Biochar?

• Definition: A carbon-rich form of charcoal produced via pyrolysis of organic waste such as:

  • Agricultural residues

  • Organic municipal solid waste

• Key Characteristics:

  • Stable, porous, and capable of holding carbon in soils for 100–1,000 years

  • Used in agriculture, construction, carbon capture, and waste treatment

• A negative emissions technology offering multiple climate and development benefits.

India’s Potential

• Waste availability:

  • ~600 million tonnes of agricultural residue

  • ~60 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually

• Biochar potential:

  • 15–26 million tonnes of biochar

  • Removes 0.1 gigatonnes of CO₂-eq annually

Byproducts and Energy Potential

• Syngas: 20–30 million tonnes → can generate 8–13 TWh electricity

• Bio-oil: 24–40 million tonnes → can offset 12–19 million tonnes of diesel/kerosene, lowering crude oil import & emissions

• Coal replacement: Up to 0.7 million tonnes/year

• Emission offset: Over 2% of India’s fossil-fuel-based emissions

Sector-Wise Applications

1. Agriculture

• Enhances soil water retention, especially in arid/semi-arid zones

• Reduces N₂O emissions by 30–50% (273x more potent than CO₂)

• Improves soil organic carbon and restores degraded soils

• Increases crop yields (by 10–25%)

• Lowers fertiliser use (by 10–20%)

2. Carbon Capture

• Modified biochar can adsorb CO₂ from industrial exhausts

• Lower efficiency than conventional CCS but cost-effective and scalable

3. Construction Sector

• Adding 2–5% biochar in concrete:

  • Improves strength

  • Increases heat resistance by 20%

  • Captures 115 kg CO₂/m³ of concrete

• Offers low-carbon alternative in infrastructure

4. Wastewater Treatment

• 1 kg of biochar can treat 200–500 litres

• India produces >70 billion litres/day, 72% untreated

• Estimated demand: 2.5–6.3 million tonnes of biochar

 Challenges & Barriers

• Underrepresented in carbon credit markets due to:

  • Lack of standardised feedstock

  • Inconsistent carbon accounting

• Technological and financial barriers to scale

• Lack of awareness among farmers, industries, and local bodies

• Poor coordination across policy domains: agriculture, energy, waste

• Weak MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) frameworks

• Unclear business models and fragmented policy support

 Policy Recommendations

1. Recognition in Carbon Market:

   • Include biochar in Indian Carbon Market (2026) as a verifiable carbon removal path

   • Enables carbon credit income for producers and farmers

2. Institutional Support:

   • Support R&D for region-specific feedstock and biomass optimisation

   • Integrate biochar into:

     • Crop residue management

     • Urban waste management

     • State Action Plans on Climate Change

3. Decentralised Production:

   • Promote village-level biochar units

   • Can generate ~5.2 lakh rural jobs

4. Awareness & Capacity Building:

   • Train stakeholders across agriculture, construction, industry

   • Incentivise adoption via subsidies and inclusion in public procurement

Conclusion

Biochar is not a silver bullet, but a science-backed, multi-sectoral solution with co-benefits for climate mitigation, agriculture, energy security, rural employment, and waste management. Strategic mainstreaming into policy and market frameworks is essential to realise its full potential.

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