Introduction to NetZero and its Biochar Production
NetZero, a French startup specializing in carbon capture through biochar—a charcoal-like substance made from vegetable waste—announced on Tuesday the construction of a pioneering biochar production plant in Brazil using sugarcane as its primary input.
Background on NetZero and its Previous Projects
Having successfully installed five biochar factories using coffee waste remnants, including one in Cameroon and four in Brazil, NetZero’s new facility will be situated in Campina Verde, Minas Gerais state (southeast), and is set to commence operations in February.
The company aims to utilize abundant sugarcane waste in the region to produce this promising product, which aids in capturing CO2 and rejuvenating soils due to its porous nature, according to NetZero.
Biochar Production Process and Benefits
The plant will initially produce 4,000 tonnes of biochar annually through a high-temperature pyrolysis process that burns vegetable waste, capturing carbon stored by plants throughout their lives and preventing its release into the atmosphere to contribute to global warming.
This process has gained traction since 2016, being funded by carbon credits, paving the way for more projects according to its promoters.
NetZero, founded in 2021 by Olivier Reinaud, his father Axel, and climate scientist Jean Jouzel, anticipates significant growth with this new venture.
Sugarcane as a Primary Biochar Input
With sugarcane being the largest agricultural source of raw materials for biochar, approximately 700 million tonnes of waste are generated globally each year, with Brazil—the world’s leading sugarcane producer—accounting for nearly 40% of this waste.
However, its industrial-scale transformation remains limited due to the technical complexities of processing sugarcane leaves and fibers, which have varying moisture content, density, and grain size.
Reinaud claims to have developed a technology addressing these challenges, with local agricultural companies supplying sugarcane stalks for biochar production, which will then be used to enhance their lands.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is NetZero and what does it do? NetZero is a French startup that specializes in carbon capture through biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from vegetable waste.
- What is the purpose of NetZero’s new plant in Brazil? The new plant will utilize abundant sugarcane waste in the region to produce biochar, aiding in CO2 capture and soil rejuvenation.
- How will the biochar be produced? The plant will use a high-temperature pyrolysis process that burns vegetable waste, capturing carbon stored by plants and preventing its release into the atmosphere.
- Why is sugarcane significant for biochar production? Sugarcane is the largest agricultural source of raw materials for biochar, with Brazil generating nearly 40% of the global sugarcane waste annually.
- What challenges does large-scale sugarcane biochar production face? The technical complexities of processing sugarcane leaves and fibers, which have varying moisture content, density, and grain size, limit industrial-scale transformation.
