00:00:00 – 00:35:00
The YouTube video titled “Biochar and carbon credits” discusses the challenges of carbon removal, the legislative measures for reducing carbon emissions, carbon allowances and credits, the self-sustaining process of biochar, its various applications, the importance of certification and pilot testing, the concept of carbon tunnel vision, and the role of the company in the market. The speaker stresses the need to move away from fossil-based feedstocks and towards recycling, reusing CO2, and deploying bio-based feedstocks. They also highlight the side benefits of biochar, such as its ability to absorb toxins and improve water quality, which have positive impacts on public health and well-being. While there is a push to monetize carbon removal through carbon credits, the speaker cautions against a one-size-fits-all approach and encourages the consideration of different solutions’ cost-benefit ratios.
00:00:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges of carbon removal and the importance of the net zero concept. He explains that to bring carbon back from the atmosphere and prevent climate change, we must reduce fossil fuels and try to go back to pre-industrial times. He also emphasizes the importance of removing carbon to be truly net zero, stating that traditional offsets are not enough. He gives a clear goal of having only 311 gigatons left to emit before exceeding one and a half degrees Celsius in temperature increase, and a warning that individuals would have only five years left to decrease their carbon footprint if we divide the wealth in the world equally.
00:05:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the different legislative measures introduced by the EU to reduce carbon emissions, which includes the trading scheme, energy efficiency directive, renewable energy directive, land use change and forest directive, emissions performance for cars and vans, and the effort sharing regulation scheme. However, there is currently no legislation for carbon removal. To address this, governments put a price on carbon through compliance carbon pricing and voluntary carbon pricing schemes. Compliance carbon pricing includes carbon tax, energy tax, and the trading scheme, while voluntary carbon pricing involves buyers voluntarily purchasing reduction or removal certificates. The speaker notes that there are 63 different carbon prices in the world and that the most commonly referred to carbon price is the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) price.
00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses carbon allowances and credits. They clarify that allowances are given to emit carbon and are not the same as credits. Voluntary carbon markets, on the other hand, allow for the purchase of carbon credits through projects that avoid or capture CO2 emissions. The speaker gives an example of a company that compensates for customers’ CO2 emissions by buying credits from international parties. They explain how to check if a scheme is legitimate and how perpetual next provides natural alternatives for manufacturing through a process called torrefaction, which turns waste wood and agri residues into char and coal products. They also show a facility in Estonia that produces pellets from forest residues using a torrefaction reactor.
00:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses how biochar is a self-sustaining process where the gases evaporating from the residues can be burnt for the oven, creating a closed circle where external energy is not needed to operate it. Depending on the time and temperature, different energy content can be obtained, ranging from 20 to almost 30, which can have different names such as carbon pigments, carbon reduction, coking carbon, or biochar. Biochar is an organic soil amendment that brings back carbon into the soil when the circle is closed. However, the speaker notes that the whole approach to emission reduction is flawed because the legislation is not focused on finding alternatives to fossil-based feedstocks, which is essential as the demand for materials derived from carbon is expected to double by 2050. The speaker suggests that to be net-zero by 2050, there is a need to recycle more, reuse CO2, and deploy bio-based feedstocks as a source material for the chemical industry.
00:20:00 In this section, the speaker talks about the various applications of biochar and how it can be used for the chemical industry and reducing the use of fossil carbon. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of defossilization and putting a price on extraction of fuel and gas from the soil instead of just emissions. The vision for 2050 is a battle for biocarbon and who can afford to make responsible products. The speaker also talks about the role of their company and the gap between biochar producers and end-users, with a focus on possible application markets such as agriculture, feedstock, forestry, and urban plantation. They are also working on certifying biochar.
00:25:00 In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of certification and pilot testing for biochar before entering the market. They explain that because every biochar is unique, it is crucial to find the right applications and markets through pilot tests. Furthermore, they emphasize that biochar has value not only for its applications but also as a carbon removal tool. Carbon credits for biochar are in demand and sold at premium prices in the voluntary market. However, the quality and value of carbon removal credits depend on permanence, additionality, verifiability, and transparency. They stress that biochar’s side benefits beyond carbon removal should also be considered.
00:30:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the concept of “carbon tunnel vision,” which refers to the singular focus on carbon storage as a solution to climate change. While important, there are other benefits associated with biochar that can indirectly lead to additional carbon removal. For example, biochar can absorb toxins, reduce nitrogen deposition, and improve water quality, all of which have positive impacts on public health and well-being. The speaker explains that biochar is just one of many solutions within a larger toolkit for addressing climate change, and it’s important to consider the side benefits and public goods associated with different approaches. While there is a push to monetize carbon removal through carbon credits, it’s important to recognize that not all solutions have the same cost-benefit ratio, and using a one-size-fits-all approach may lead to the exclusion of valuable solutions like biochar.
00:35:00 In this section, the speaker explains that they are new to the market and are still figuring out their role as a middleman between end users and producers of biochar. They offer consultation to biochar producers and encourage anyone with connections to reach out to them. Contact information is provided through a QR code that can be used to connect via LinkedIn.
