pac pyrolysis - biochar & electricity gen., page-26

An update to add to the list

* students at Stevens Inst. in New Jersey are developing super capacitors that use electrodes made of Biochar. These super caps are used in solar cells etc.

* a study on the use of biochar on a contaminated rice fields found that the rice grown had lower levels of Cd (Cadmium) then fields without biochar.
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* 1 tonne of biochar applied to soil sequesters 3.66 tonnes of carbon.

* Plots which incorporated biochar together with fertilizer were up to 17 per cent more water efficient than those without biochar.

* Pasture biomass is higher on plots which incorporated biochar when nitrogen fertiliser is also applied.

* Poultry-litter biochar increased available phosphorus by around 50 per cent in the first year of application.

* A study recently completed in New Zealand found that adding biochar to the soils of pastures where Cows were grazing sharply decreased the excess nitrous oxide from the cows urine. It appears that the biochar helps the soil absorb the extra gasses although long term testing of the effect of cow urine and pasture with biochar still needs to be done.

* Biochar applied to water with high levels of phosphorous was found to decrease phosphorous levels in a study by the Uni of Florida. High phosphorous levels cause blue green algae outbreaks.

* A study was completed using biochar on mine tailings ? results were inconclusive but worthy of further research.