Challenges

As with all new technologies, innovators must overcome some key challenges if biochar solutions are to further scale. Some of the higher-level issues that cut across all (or many) of the applications in this report are outlined below.

Cost

According to the Biotechnology Reports article: “The major stumbling block in biochar production is cost of production.”

This is echoed by Mario Schmitt, who outlines the basic economic equation of biochar production: “The biggest general challenge is cost – basically, the value created through carbon removal + use as a functional material + green energy must accommodate the costs of biochar production, transport, conversion, and storage and allow for a margin.” He adds that, because of this, “production and conversion costs must come down, and functionalities of the materials produced must be enhanced.”

The need to make the economics work is a key driver for innovators who are exploring new functional applications. “Our whole insight is predicated on the idea that we need to be doing more functional things with it [biochar]… to support the business model of the producers,” explains Elizabeth Lee.

Part of the challenge is the initial capital needed to set up a complex modern plant. “Building and scaling production facilities takes upfront investment, which can be a barrier,” explain Valeria Araico and Sofía Farías.

There is also a need to convince customers that biochar makes sense from a cost perspective, particularly in construction. “We need to demonstrate not just that biochar works technically, but that it makes sound business sense,” explains Dr. Gul. “This means providing comprehensive cost analyses over the building's entire life, offering performance guarantees, and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and building codes.”

Consistency

A second key challenge is the need to create a consistent product out of variable feedstocks.

“Ensuring consistent quality is a major technical challenge,” explains Dr. Gul. “Biochar properties can vary considerably depending on what organic materials are used to make it, how it's processed, and what treatments are applied afterwards.”

Mario Schmitt echoes this, explaining that barriers to scalability in his focus area “include the heterogeneity of biochars – which is tricky for an industry like the construction sector with little tolerance for errors.”

There are, however, several things that can be done to address this problem. “We've seen people do things like mixing feedstocks – trying to find new sources that are combined together to alleviate some of the variability,” explains Elizabeth Lee. “Some producers are looking into new types of feedstocks that are more industrial wastes, and they know that those are going to be consistent year-over-year or season-over-season,” she adds. “From papermaking, for example, you can get consistent wood products.”

Litter from industrial chicken farming is another interesting feedstock that Lee has recently come across. “They know that it's basically sawdust that's been put down, but it's mixed with chicken droppings so it needs to be taken off site frequently,” she explains. This makes for a pretty consistent feedstock.

On the policy side, there is more that can be done from a standard-setting perspective. “We need to develop reliable methods for characterising biochar so that manufacturers and builders can specify consistent materials across different production sources,” explains Dr. Gul. “This requires extensive testing and getting the industry to agree on common standards.”

Regulation

Many biochar applications are in sectors that undergo heavy regulatory scrutiny, and there are also strict rules about using certain types of waste.

Construction is one of the target sectors where regulations is particularly important. “The construction industry is understandably cautious about new materials because buildings need to be safe and durable for decades,” explains Dr. Gul. “Getting new materials approved requires extensive testing and certification, which can be a lengthy and expensive process.”

Valeria Araico and Sofía Farías similarly emphasise the importance of getting the right standards in place: “ensuring biochar quality and safety is key for trust, scalability, and results.”

Regulatory considerations, also influence the choice of feedstocks for certain applications. “The more you get into true waste, the more challenging it becomes from a safety and regulation perspective,” explains Elizabeth Lee.

Knowledge gaps

Despite biochar’s long history, there remain significant gaps in our fundamental understanding of the material.

These could prove to be barriers to scaling if they are not addressed by fresh research. “Despite biochar's promising potential, significant knowledge gaps remain that require urgent investigation before we can achieve widespread implementation,” explains Dr. Gul. “Fundamental material science questions centre on establishing precise relationships between feedstock characteristics, processing parameters, and resultant composite properties.”

There is also a need to understand the impact biochar has when it is in-situ for long periods of time – whether that is in the soil or somewhere else.

According to the Biotechnology Reports article, “Since the physicochemical properties of biochar vary with different biomass, it is important to study in detail the toxic effect(s) of biochar on [the] environment.”

Dr. Gul adds that, in the built environment: “We require comprehensive understanding of biochar stability under various environmental exposure conditions, including moisture cycling, freeze-thaw exposure, and chemical attack scenarios.”