Biochar Market (Forecast, 2021-2031)

Building Reactors in Farms Accelerates Biochar Production amid Coronavirus Crisis

Despite interruptions in business activities for manufacturers in the biochar market during the coronavirus pandemic, stakeholders are supporting farmers to build reactors in their farms to accelerate the process of converting stubble into biomass. This trend is prominent in India, since stakeholders and farmers are increasing efforts to boost crop yield despite challenges posed by the pandemic.

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has recognized biochar as an effective strategy to reduce environmental pollution. Such trends are translating into revenue opportunities for manufacturers in the biochar market where the market is currently facing volatile demand and supply due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Biochar is being highly publicized for improving soil health and boosting crop yield in an environment-friendly way.

High Production, Application Cost Important Concerns for Biochar Development

The global biochar market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 15.35% during the forecast period. However, biochar production and application costs are the most important concerns since the high production cost can compensate the revenue caused by higher rice yield. Thus, stakeholders are conducting a life cycle cost analysis that can help to close the gap over the field application of biochar.

Stakeholders are increasing efforts to increase studies to scrutinize the production costs of biochar from different agro-wastes and the associated field application. These production costs are highly dependent on the nature of feedstock and the technology used to produce biochar.

Oregon Grabs Attention of Biochar Manufacturers to Reduce Risk of Catastrophic Wildfires

Companies in the biochar market are capitalizing on incremental opportunities in the United States. Creating and applying biochar on the farm is gaining momentum in Oregon, owing to the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) funded by the Oregon USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This is due to forestland in Southern Oregon requiring routine thinning and slash treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and remove weeds & invasive vegetation that can impact pasturelands.

Manufacturers in the U.S. biochar market are increasing their R&D in animal manure, which is a source of on-farm waste that can be challenging to manage, especially when trying to reduce odors. They are experimenting to mix biochar with animal manure to help control nutrient loss through better manure management.

Continuous Feed Pyrolyzers Help in Advanced Production of Biochar

The biochar market is expected to cross the valuation of US$ 6.3 Bn by 2031. Advanced biochar production methods, apart from pyrolysis and glasification are gaining popularity such as continuous feed pyrolyzers, which help to improve energy efficiency and biochar yields. These pyrolyzers help in the recovery of co-products to reduce pollution emissions and improve process economies.

Manufacturers in the biochar market are utilizing continuous feed pyrolyzers to control operating conditions for improving biochar properties and allowing changes in co-product yields. Both woody and herbaceous biomass such as crop residues or grasses are being converted into rich biochar with the help of continuous feed pyrolyzers.

Analysts’ Viewpoint

Though the coronavirus pandemic has caused a slowdown in various activities in the global biochar market, stakeholders are increasing efforts to build reactors at farms and encourage adoption of advanced technologies to keep revenues flowing. However, it has been found that pyrolysis plants are usually expensive to operate continuously, which can undermine the economy of biochar application in agricultural lands. Hence, companies in the biochar market should conduct a life cycle cost analysis to help close the gap over the field application of biochar. On the other hand, it is now being debated whether continuous feed pyrolyzers help improve economies in advanced biochar production.

Biochar Market: Overview

• According to Transparency Market Research’s latest research report on the biochar market for the historical period of 2020 and the forecast period of 2021 to 2031, environmental benefits and advantages associated with biochar are expected to fuel the biochar market across the globe
• In terms of revenue, the global biochar market is estimated to exceed US$ 6.3 Bn by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 15.35% during the forecast period. Industrialization and urbanization have been increasing significantly across the globe since the past few years. This has boosted the demand for renewable energy as an alternative to coal. Electricity consumption in Asia increased from 8,616 TWh in 2014 to 10,716 TWh in 2019.
• Demand for electricity is expected to continue to rise across the globe during the forecast period. The world is focusing on renewable energy, such as biomass, to cater to the high demand for electricity. Biochar is a prominent source of renewable energy, as it helps sequester a billion tons of carbon annually. Thus, rise in demand for electricity is anticipated to propel the biochar market during the forecast period.

Environmental Benefits of Biochar: Key Driver of Biochar Market

• Excessive amount of carbon dioxide is being released in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels and decomposition of biomass, thereby increasing the carbon levels in the atmosphere. However, application of biochar on these soils can help decrease the emission of carbon dioxide, as biochar has the ability to store 50% of carbon from feedstock. Biochar is highly stable. This helps prevent the emission of carbon dioxide from organic decomposition significantly. It also plays a vital role in controlling the release of methane and nitrogen dioxide from the soil.
• Application of biochar on the soil helps in the reduction of offsite pollution. It increases the retention of nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen in the soil. This decreases leaching of nutrients of soil into the groundwater and helps save nutrients from erosion due to the surface water flow.
• The application of biochar on the soil can enhance the content of organic matter in the soils and improve the fertility of the soil. The addition of biochar in the soil is likely to result in better soil texture, more porosity, good structure, and density and particle size distribution. Higher porosity and more surface area possessed by biochar are estimated to help provide space for microorganisms that are beneficial for the soil. Addition of biochar helps increase the growth rate of crops. It also enables to improve the quality of water, while nutrient leaching and acidity of the soil reduces. Application of biochar also helps increase water retention, while reduces the usage of fertilizers.

Cheaper Feedstock: Major Driver of Biochar Market

• Biochar is predominantly made from biomass waste materials. Biomass waste materials appropriate for biochar production include crop residues such as field residues and processing residues, including nut shells, fruit pits, bagasse, as well as yard, food and forestry wastes, and animal manure. Large amounts of agricultural, municipal, and forestry biomass are currently burned or left to decompose. They release CO2 and methane back into the atmosphere. They can also pollute local ground and surface water. Using these materials to make biochar not only removes them from a pollution cycle, but biochar can be obtained as a by-product of producing energy from this biomass.
• In a year, total accumulation of agricultural waste, including corncob, rice husk, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, and wheat straw stands at approximately 2 billion tons worldwide. Forest waste accounts for approximately 0.2 billion tons, while municipal solid waste accounts for 1.7 billion tons and industrial waste accounts for 9.1 billion tons. Without proper treatment, these solid wastes would create many challenges and negatively affect the sustainability of related industries and societies.
• One-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year, i.e. approximately 1.3 billion tons, is wasted. In the U.S., 30% of all food, worth US$ 48.3 Bn, is thrown away each year. Households in the U.K. waste an estimated 6.7 million tons of food every year. According to the Food Corporation of India, around 23 million tons of food cereals, 12 million tons of fruits, and 21 million tons of vegetables wasted each year. This offers opportunities for the biochar market.

Biochar Market: Competition Landscape

• Detailed profiles of providers of biochar have been provided in the report on the biochar market across the globe to evaluate their financials, key product offerings, recent developments, and strategies
• Major players operating in the biochar market across the globe are
  • Genesis Industries
  • Black Owl Biochar
  • Biochar Now
  • Airex Énergie Inc.
  • Phoenix Energy
  • American BioChar Company
  • Bioforcetech Corporation
  • ECOERA
  • PYROPOWER
  • ETIA S.A.S.

Biochar Market: Key Developments

• Key providers of wind turbines, such Genesis Industries, Black Owl Biochar, and Biochar Now are focusing on advancements of manufacturing processes of biochar to attract more customers
• In the global biochar market report, we have discussed individual strategies, followed by company profiles of providers of biochar. The ‘Competition Landscape’ section has been included in the biochar market across the globe report to provide readers with a dashboard view and company market share analysis of key players operating in the biochar market across the globe.

Biochar Market – Segmentation

TMR’s research study assesses the biochar market across the globe based on feedstock, technology, application, and region. The report presents extensive market dynamics and progressive trends associated with different segments and how they are influencing growth prospects of the biochar market across the globe.