Victorian Biochar Carbon Sequestration

Pacific Biochar's facility in Gippsland processes 15,000 tonnes of agricultural waste biomass annually — primarily forestry residues and crop stubble that would otherwise be burned or left to decompose. The high-temperature pyrolysis process (600-700°C in a low-oxygen environment) converts 50% of the biomass carbon into ultra-stable biochar with a mean residence time exceeding 1,000 years. The remaining energy is captured as syngas and used to power the pyrolysis process and generate surplus electricity for the grid.

The produced biochar is applied to agricultural soils where it improves water retention by 15-25%, reduces fertiliser requirements by 10-15%, and locks carbon permanently in the soil matrix. This is a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methodology — it actively removes CO₂ from the atmosphere rather than avoiding future emissions.