National Research Council of Italy Biochar: the Italian experience Aldo Ceriotti National Research Council of Italy

Syngas Energy TAR Biomass BIOCHAR Soil Carbon Stock Biochar production Biochar x Expo Biochar production 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible Syngas TAR BIOCHAR Energy Soil Carbon Stock Pyrolysis Biomass

Increase of soil carbon stocks Improvement of soil fertility Biochar x Expo Assessment of biochar based strategies 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano Increase of soil carbon stocks Energy Production Improvement of soil fertility Re-use of crop residues Lehmann et al., 2006 Biochar is charcoal used as a soil amendment. Biochar is made from biomass via pyrolysis and it has the potential to help mitigate climate change via carbon sequestration. Independently, biochar can increase soil fertility of acidic soils (low pH soils) and increase agricultural productivity. Biochar is a stable solid, rich in carbon, and can endure in soil for thousands of years.

Assessment of biochar based strategies Biochar x Expo Assessment of biochar based strategies 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano SOIL CARBON The Carbon cycle CO2 Photosynthesis Respiration Soil respiration Decomposition BIOCHAR The Biochar cycle Soil respiration (5%) PYROLYSIS 50% 25% Bioenergy from syngas 25% - avoided emissions (CO2 neutral) (CO2 negative)

Italy contributes to the 3% of global literature Biochar x Expo 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano Italy contributes to the 3% of global literature

The Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET) of the National Research Council has relevant experience on biochar issue. In particular IBIMET is one of the co-founders of the Italian Association of Biochar (ICHAR www.ichar.org), established in 2009. IBIMET has coordinated the EuroChar Project (2011- 2014) funded by European Union under the 7th Framework Programme (Environment and Climate Change), addressing important aspects of innovative mitigation strategies in the agricultural and forest sector through carbon sequestration in soils, using biochar; IBIMET has already published more than 30 publications on peer review international scientific journals. The most relevant is Vaccari et al. (2011), “Biochar as a strategy to sequester carbon and increase yield in durum wheat” published on European Journal of Agronomy with more than 172 citations (Google Scholar). Vineyard exp IBIMET 2009

different biochar types different effects The biochar: a complex topic Actually the term biochar remains ill-defined (lacking of EU Directive) The most common definition is: “the product obtained by pyrolysis of biomass”. Pyrolysis process? Slow pyrolysis temperature 400 °C - 650 °C Fast pyrolysis temperature 650 °C – 850 °C Gassification temperature 900 °C – 1100 °C Residence time 30 min a 1-2 sec. Biochar x Expo 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano Biomass? “the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from biological origin from agriculture (including vegetal and animal substances), forestry and related industries including fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste”. different biochar types different effects the effects depend also by the biochar /soil interactions (environment)

ICHAR PARTNERS Research institutions Biochar producers Biochar x Expo 25th June, 2015 The Italian Biochar Association (ICHAR) was established in 2009 to create synergy and collaboration between the research institutions and the private sector in promoting solutions, technologies, advanced studies and demonstration activities related to the use of biochar as a possible strategy to mitigate GHG emissions and simultaneously increase crop productivity Università degli Studi Milano ICHAR PARTNERS Research institutions Biochar producers Public administrations Farmers and companies in the agri-food sector Organic farming organization

Biochar x Expo 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano In 2012 ICHAR made request to the Italian Ministry of Agriculture for the inclusion of biochar in the list of soil amendment allowed in Italian agriculture. In August 2015 the request has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, opening a new phase for biochar production, commercialisation and use in Italy. The Italian agriculture is now in the position to provide an effective contribution in mitigating climate change and ICHAR hopes that this will be an example for other European countries to approve the use of biochar.

Biochar x Expo Biochar in annex n°2 (Amendments) of D.L. n.75 29/04/2010 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano Pollutants tresholds

Requirements to certificate a biochar Biochar x Expo Requirements to certificate a biochar 25th June, 2015 Università degli Studi Milano IBI- International Biochar Initiative http://www.biochar-international.org/characterizationstandard EBC-European Biochar Certificate http://www.european-biochar.org/en