A farmer in Chiclana de Segura, Spain, demonstrated biochar deposited around an olive tree as part of research into soil health, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
Interest in biochar – a charcoal produced from plant matter through pyrolysis – is growing in Spain as a method for regenerating agricultural soils and reducing the carbon footprint of production, according to Livingchar, a biochar producer certified under the European Biochar Certificate. The company’s biochar is made from pine wood and aims to improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil while sequestering carbon.
Abel Zahínos, a promoter of the LivingChar brand, explained that biochar contains over 80 percent carbon and restores a key mineral lost in many Spanish soils due to intensive farming, high temperatures, and limited water. Unlike traditional fertilizers, biochar focuses on improving soil structure, its capacity to exchange cations, and the management of water and nutrients. “An ideal soil is made up of roughly 25 percent water, 25 percent air, and the remainder mineral fraction and organic matter,” Zahínos said. “In degraded or compacted soils, those pores collapse and the capacity to store and properly manage the water and oxygen that plants need for their physiological functions is lost.”
Several initiatives are underway to expand biochar production in Spain. Amata Green, founded in 2017, is developing a biochar production facility in southern Spain, with plans to produce between 1,000 and 7,000 tonnes annually. The project’s primary focus is to provide growers with a product that promotes healthier soils, reduces chemical use, and facilitates a transition to organic farming, according to the company. Amata Green intends to build five additional facilities strategically located throughout the southern provinces.
Another project, Carbonfields in Sevilla, is transforming 10,000 tonnes of olive tree prunings into biochar each year. Developed by Terrawatt, the initiative began in 2023 and aims to enhance local soil health and sequester carbon, boosting agricultural productivity and sustainability for its partners.
The growing adoption of biochar in Spain reflects a broader European interest in carbon removal technologies. The Indian biochar market is similarly projected to grow, with expectations of reaching USD 207.9 million by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.66 percent, according to openPR.com.
