S1 #4 | Biochar and BECCS: can we do more with plant power?
- S1E4
- 41:29
- November 3rd 2021
At first, the idea of harvesting, harnessing, even burning our beloved biomass may seem counterintuitive, at least from a carbon removal perspective. Why not just leave biomass be?
Well, as we've heard so far this season, the carbon cycle is out of kilter. Even with our best efforts of restoration and enhancement, relying on forests and soils alone for the carbon removal we need may be too slow, too short, too unreliable.
This is where biochar and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) come in. While different, both offer to do more with biomass, for the sake of carbon removal and more.
Can these really achieve carbon neutrality, let alone removal? Is there enough biomass out there? Are these the scalable, permanent and reliable silver bullets we've been dreaming of?! In this episode, Tom and Emily teach each other a thing or two about how to get the best from your biomass, for carbon drawdown's sake.
Many thanks to our excellent guests in this episode:
- Dr Naomi Vaughan, Senior Research Associate at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
- Pia Henrietta Moon, Co-founder & CEO at Carbo Culture
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To learn more about The Carbon Removal Show, including further reading, sources from the episode, and our free newsletter head to: https://restored.cc/
Thanks to Patch for sponsoring the podcast.
And thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the show.
The Carbon Removal Show
The facts are clear - the planet is heating up because of emissions humans are putting into the atmosphere.
Even if we are able to cut out all our carbon emissions as fast as possible, we would still need to remove carbon we've already put in the atmosphere to hit global temperature targets.
Join Emily Swaddle and Tom Previte as they explore the world of carbon removal. What is it? Why is it necessary? How does it work? And who is doing it?
Along the way they'll be speaking to the people who are working to make carbon removal a widespread reality.
For more information on carbon removal, head to restored.cc.