A new mathematical bridge can finally predict if the carbon captured in soil will stay there for a decade or a millennium.
Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made from plant waste that is widely used to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. The biggest problem with this technology was the inability to prove how long that carbon would actually stay locked in the ground. A new unified framework combines biological decay rates with chemical oxidation data to create a reliable longevity model. This allows scientists to calculate the carbon permanence of any biochar sample based on its production method and local soil conditions. Having this number is essential for creating a trustworthy carbon credit market to fight climate change.
A Unified Framework for Biochar Carbon Permanence
SSRN · 6727180
Biochar is regarded as a carbon dioxide removal strategy because thermal conversion transforms biomass carbon into chemically condensed forms that resist degradation over long timescales. The key question is not whether this transformation increases stability, but how long carbon remains stored once biochar is applied in soil. This timescale remains poorly constrained. Multiyear soil incubation experiments, which represent the gold standard for determining the biological decay of biochar, show n