The process used to create biochar will determine the properties of the final product. This means it is important to pay attention to the process you used and whether it could be optimised. Green Man Char has had plenty of experience creating high quality biochar, so here are four factors they swear by when producing biochar.
1. Slow Pyrolysis over Fast Pyrolysis
There are two different techniques to produce biochar, fast and slow pyrolysis. Both techniques create biochar with different qualities, so it is important to use the right one. Green Man Char uses the slow pyrolysis technique to produce their biochar, as the feedstock requires less pre-processing, biochar yield is maximised, and it leads to increased flexibility of the biochar.
2. Use of natural woods, leaves and branches
Almost any biomass can be used to create biochar, however to obtain high quality biochar, only natural woods, leaves and branches should be used. Green Man Char ensures that the biochar they produce is free from contaminants by only using these biomasses. The use of other biomass such as manure or solid waste can lead to contaminants in the biochar which you then use to spread over all your crops.
3. Use a Charmaker pyrolysis plant
All Green Man Char biochar is produced using a Charmaker pyrolysis plant. The plant can consistently produce high quality biochar with ease, without the need to be supervised whilst running, and it includes pre-set recipes for biochar to ensure every batch is of a high quality. The Charmaker is also portable, allowing for the process to occur at the land clearing site, saving you time and money on transporting the biomass.
4. Know what the biochar will be used for
As biochar can be made with different properties, it can also have different uses as a final product. Some biochar is better for specific uses than others. Therefore, Green Man Char are confident that by knowing what the final use of the biochar will be, they can provide the best product to be made for the job. Some differences include size of particles, pH levels and amount of carbon content.
Using the right biochar will lead you to the results you are after.