New biochar technology to sustainably boost crop yields and cut greenhouse as emissions.
After more than a decade of research, Chinese scientists at the Institute of Environment under the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center have developed a breakthrough technology for the efficient large-scale production of biochar from agricultural and forestry biomass. The technology enables the conversion of biomass into high-value biochar through a one-step catalytic dry process. The breakthrough was reported by China’s Science and Technology Daily.
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by heating organic waste, like crop stalks, wood chips, in an oxygen-limited environment by a process called pyrolysis. This locks the carbon from the waste into a solid, stable form that does not rot or release CO2. Hence it sequesters carbon for hundreds or even thousands of years and is considered one of the most promising “carbon capture” technologies for agriculture.
In agriculture, when biochar is added to soil it acts like a permanent sponge, holding onto water and nutrients and providing a home for beneficial microbes. When used in this way biochar improves crop yields,by enhancing nutrient retention and soil structure, reducing the need for irrigation and fertilizer.
This breakthrough marks a major step toward transforming agricultural waste into a valuable resource, supporting both environmental sustainability and industrial upgrading.
“China is a major agricultural country with abundant biomass resources. Our goal is to upgrade these resources into high-value applications that can replace fossil fuels while supporting the nation’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals,” said Xing Xianjun, the project leader and deputy director of the institute, based in Hefei, capital of East China’s Anhui province.
The newly developed technology addresses key bottlenecks that have long plagued traditional biochar production, such as low yield, poor quality, high energy consumption and environmental pollution.
A single high-pressure carbonization unit can now produce over 50,000 tons of biochar annually, said Xing, adding that the technology has been deployed in multiple cities, generating substantial economic, social and environmental benefits.
Source:
China Daily, July 8, 2026. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202607/08/WS6a4e166fa310986e2b46434f.html
Read more on biochar:
Chinese Academy of Sciences, August 12, 2025. https://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/earth/202508/t20250818_1050909.shtml
