Greenhouse Gas Inventory Model for Biochar Additions to Soil

Stabilizing the global climate within safe bounds will require greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to reach net zero within a few decades. Achieving this is expected to require removal of CO2 from the atmosphere to offset some hard-to-eliminate emissions. There is, therefore, a clear need for GHG accounting protocols that quantify the mitigation impact of CO2 removal practices, such as biochar sequestration, that have the potential to be deployed at scale. Here, we have developed a GHG accounting methodology for biochar application to mineral soils using simple parameterizations and readily accessible activity data that can be applied at a range of scales including farm, supply chain, national, or global. The method is grounded in a comprehensive analysis of current empirical data, making it a robust method that can be used for many applications including national inventories and voluntary and compliance carbon markets, among others. We show that the carbon content of biochar varies with feedstock and production conditions from as low as 7% (gasification of biosolids) to 79% (pyrolysis of wood at above 600 degrees C). Of this initial carbon, 63-82% will remain unmineralized in soil after 100 years at the global mean annual cropland-temperature of 14.9 degrees C. With this method, researchers and managers can address the long-term sequestration of C through biochar that is blended with soils through assessments such as GHG inventories and life cycle analyses.

Automated summary

Stabilizing the global climate requires reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. GHG accounting protocols are needed to quantify the mitigation impact of CO2 removal practices like biochar sequestration. Research shows that the carbon content of biochar varies with feedstock and production conditions, with a significant portion remaining unmineralized in soil for long-term sequestration.