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

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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 established in 2009.
IBIMET has coordinated the EuroChar Project ( ) 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 citations (Google Scholar).
Vineyard exp IBIMET 2009

7. 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 °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)

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. Requirements to certificate a biochar
Biochar x Expo
Requirements to certificate a biochar
25th June, 2015
Università degli Studi Milano
IBI- International Biochar Initiative
EBC-European Biochar Certificate