Biochar has demonstrated value for a variety of applications – such as utilizing wood wastes from overcrowded or pest- infested forests, storing carbon in soils, mine remediation, and for use in crop and animal agriculture – but continued research is necessary to better inform management decisions.
A commercial biochar market is developing in the U.S. However, it is largely confined to laboratories, experimental field sites, mine reclamation, and specialty crops.
Biochar production can be profitable on a case-by-case basis, but success is often dependent on feedstock costs, carbon credit markets, policy incentives, and demand for biochar in industrial or agricultural applications. Sales to home and market gardeners have been a primary driver for the rapidly growing market.
