CEFIA Flagship: Biochar Webinar on 15 January 2024

22 Dec. 2023

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^{The Biochar Webinar}^{was held on Monday, January 15, 2024}

▶Please click here for the archive video

▶Please click here for the report

In the webinar, three leading Japanese companies presented various benefits of biochar production and utilization, highlighting its significant contribution to carbon neutrality.

Date: Monday, 15 January 2024
Time: 14:00-16:00 (Bangkok, Jakarta), 15:00-17:00 (Kuala Lumpur, Manila), 16:00-18:00 (Tokyo)
Organizer: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan (METI) and ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE)
Speakers:

Mr. Shingo Numa, CEO, Forest Energy Inc. (https://forestenergy.jp/)
Mr. Shogo Okishio, Overseas Business Development, Business Development Department, TOWING Co., Ltd. （https://towing.co.jp/）
Mr. Shinya Yamamoto, Center for Social System Engineering, Institute of Technology, Shimizu Corporation （https://www.shimz.co.jp/company/about/news-release/2022/2022030.html）

Agenda:

Opening Remarks - METI
Production of biochar as a by-product of energy utilization - Forest Energy Inc.　⇒Presentation Slides
- Introduction to BCR (Biochar Carbon Removal)
- Biochar production methods
- ASEAN opportunity
Agriculture and biochar - TOWING Co., Ltd.　⇒Presentation Slides
- Introduction to TOWING’s high-performance biochar
- Case study
- ASEAN opportunity
Carbon sequestration by mixing biochar into concrete - Shimizu Corporation　⇒Presentation Slides
- Biochar under consideration for mixing
- Effect on concrete
- Case study
- ASEAN opportunity
Cross talk by three presenters (+ Q&A)　　⇒Presentation Slides
Closing Remarks - ACE

Details:

Production of biochar as a by-product of energy utilization
- Introduction to BCR (Biochar Carbon Removal): Basic information on carbon sequestration by biochar, from the definition by IPCC to the typical methods of carbon fixation.
- Biochar production methods: The main method of producing biochar is pyrolysis (including gasification). There are two business models: one that produces biochar as the main product and one that produces biochar as a by-product of energy utilization. We will compare the two models and introduce our carbon-negative power plant.
- ASEAN opportunity: We will look into project opportunities in ASEAN countries using biomass gasification technology.
Agriculture and biochar
- Introduction to TOWING’s high-performance biochar: High-performance biochar is a product that aims to realize an agricultural ecosystem that achieves both decarbonization and reduced chemical fertilizer use by attaching soil microorganisms to biochar, based on our soil microorganism cultivation technology.
- Case study: High-performance biochar is registered methodology in J-Credit (Japan’s carbon credit), and by applying to soil, it can contribute to carbon-negative farming. Same concept can be replicated in other countries.
- ASEAN opportunity: Biochar is beginning to be used in agriculture, and we see a great potential for decarbonization and reduced chemical fertilizer use by adding value through high-performance biochar.
Carbon sequestration by mixing biochar into concrete
- Biochar under consideration for mixing: We are developing concrete mixed with biochar for the purpose of carbon sequestration. We mainly use biochar made from sawdust, which is a by-product of sawmills. We are also investigating other types of biochar derived from various biomass.
- Effect on concrete: Concrete mixed with biochar has the same performance as normal concrete. It can be produced in existing plants and can also be applied and pumped on site.
- Case study: We applied concrete that reduced CO2 emissions by 96% to the temporary pavement concrete at the construction site.
- ASEAN opportunity: We expect that by popularizing concrete mixed with local biochar, we can contribute to decarbonization and resource circulation in each country.