Transcript Aldo CERIOTTI – Biochar: the Italian experience

Biochar: the Italian experience
Aldo Ceriotti
National Research Council of Italy
Biochar production
Biochar x Expo
25th June, 2015
Università degli Studi Milano
Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the
absence of oxygen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical
phase, and is irreversible
Syngas
Biomass
Pyrolysis
TAR
BIOCHAR
Soil Carbon Stock
Energy
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Assessment of biochar based strategies
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Università degli Studi Milano
Increase of soil
carbon stocks
Re-use of crop
residues
Energy
Production
Lehmann et al., 2006
Improvement of soil
fertility
Biochar is charcoal used as a soil amendment.
Biochar is made from biomass via pyrolysis and it has
the potential to help mitigate climate change via
carbon sequestration. Independently, biochar can
increase soil fertility of acidic soils (low pH soils) and
increase agricultural productivity. Biochar is a stable
solid, rich in carbon, and can endure in soil for
thousands of years.
Biochar x Expo
Assessment of biochar based strategies
25th June, 2015
Università degli Studi Milano
The Carbon cycle
The Biochar cycle
(CO2 neutral)
(CO2 negative)
CO2
PYROLYSIS
25%
BIOCHAR
25%
25% - avoided emissions
SOIL CARBON
50%
Soil respiration (5%)
Decomposition
50%
Respiration
Soil respiration
50%
Photosynthesis
50%
Respiration
Photosynthesis
CO2
Bioenergy from
syngas
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Italy contributes to the 3% of
global literature
The Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET) of the National Research Council has relevant experience
on biochar issue. In particular IBIMET is one of the co-founders of the Italian Association of Biochar
(ICHAR www.ichar.org), established in 2009.
IBIMET has coordinated the EuroChar Project (2011- 2014) funded by European Union under the 7th
Framework Programme (Environment and Climate Change), addressing important aspects of
innovative mitigation strategies in the agricultural and forest sector through carbon sequestration in
soils, using biochar;
IBIMET has already published more
than 30 publications on peer
review international scientific
journals. The most relevant is
Vaccari et al. (2011), “Biochar as a
strategy to sequester carbon and
increase yield in durum wheat”
published on European Journal of
Agronomy with more than 172
citations (Google Scholar).
Vineyard exp IBIMET 2009
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The biochar: a complex topic
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•Actually the term biochar remains ill-defined (lacking of EU Directive)
•The most common definition is: “the product obtained by pyrolysis of biomass”.
Pyrolysis process?
Slow pyrolysis
temperature 400 °C - 650 °C
Fast pyrolysis
temperature 650 °C – 850 °C
Gassification
temperature 900 °C – 1100 °C
Residence time 30 min a 1-2 sec.
Biomass?
“the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from biological origin from
agriculture (including vegetal and animal substances), forestry and related industries including
fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal
waste”.
different biochar types
different effects
the effects depend also by the biochar /soil interactions (environment)
Biochar x Expo
25th June, 2015
degli
Studi Milano
The Italian Biochar Association (ICHAR) was establishedUniversità
in 2009 to
create
synergy and collaboration between the research institutions and the private
sector in promoting solutions, technologies, advanced studies and
demonstration activities related to the use of biochar as a possible strategy to
mitigate GHG emissions and simultaneously increase crop productivity
ICHAR PARTNERS
•
•
•
•
•
Research institutions
Biochar producers
Public administrations
Farmers and companies in the agri-food sector
Organic farming organization
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In 2012 ICHAR made request to the Italian Ministry of Agriculture for the
inclusion of biochar in the list of soil amendment allowed in Italian agriculture.
In August 2015 the request has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture,
opening a new phase for biochar production, commercialisation and use in
Italy.
The Italian agriculture is now in the position to provide an effective
contribution in mitigating climate change and ICHAR hopes that this will be
an example for other European countries to approve the use of biochar.
Biochar x Expo
Pollutants tresholds
Parameter
Max limit mg / kg d.m.
Pb tot
140
Cd tot
1,5
Ni tot
100
Zn tot
500
Cu tot
230
Hg tot
1,5
Cr VI
0,5
PAH (Σ16)
6
Dioxin
9 (ng kg-1)
Pcb
0,5
Biochar in annex n°2 (Amendments) of D.L. n.75
25th June, 2015
29/04/2010
Università degli Studi Milano
N.
Type
denomination
Production technology and
main characteristics
16.
Biochar from
pyrolysis or
from
gasification
Process of carbonization of
products and residues of
vegetable origin coming from
agriculture and forestry, olive
pomace, grape marcs, cereal
bran, fruit stones and woodshells, non-treated residues
of wood processing, and
other residues of the above
mentioned activities. The
process of carbonization is
the loss of hydrogen, oxygen
and nitrogen from the organic
matter that follows the
application of heat in
absence, or in limited
presence, of the oxidating
agent, typically oxygen. This
thermochemical conversion is
defined as pyrolysis or
pyrodecomposition.
Gasification accounts for a
further oxidation process of
the charcoal produced by
pyrolysis.
Minimum title in
elements and/or
useful substances.
Criteria on the
evaluation. Other
characteristics
required
C tot of biologic
origin (#) % d.m.
Other
indications on
denomination
or type
Elements or useful
substances whose title
must be declared.
Different characteristics
to be declared. Other
characteristics required
Notes
Granulometry
(bypasses mm 0,5-2-5)
(#)
≥20 e ≤30 (Cl(*)3)
>30 e ≤60 (Cl (*)2)
> 60 (C(*)1)
Nitrogen tot
(*)
Potassium tot
(§)
Salinity mS/m
Phosphorous tot
≤1000
(§)
pH(H2O) 4-12
Umidity % 20 for
powder products(°)
Ashes % d.m.
>40 and ≤ 60
(Cl(*)3)
≥10 and ≤ 40
(Cl(*)2)
<10 (Cl(*)1)
H/C (molar)(^) ≤0,7
Calcium tot
Magnesium tot
Sodium tot
subtracting C
from carbonates
<100 in case
of use as
amendment in
substrates for
horticulture
data to be
declared
(°)
index of C
stability
(^)
% C from carbonates
Phytotossicity test and
growth (worm test
and/or
germination/growth test
Water retention max
Quality class
Requirements to certificate a biochar
Biochar x Expo
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IBI- International Biochar Initiative http://www.biochar-international.org/characterizationstandard
EBC-European Biochar Certificate http://www.european-biochar.org/en