The Northern Territory has some of the world’s largest plantations of African mahogany and Indian sandalwood, as well as thousands of hectares of country infested with woody weeds – all of which could contribute to an emerging biochar industry. Sources: ABC, 7News
Known as a “carbon sponge”, biochar is essentially charcoal, and is created by converting biomass into a charred product under oxygen-limited conditions (in a reactor).
Designed to improve the efficiency of water and fertiliser use in soils, the product is being trialled in the Northern Territory for the first time.
Environmental scientist, Azain Raban, said zucchini yields on a farm near Darwin have increased by 25% thanks to biochar (applied at a rate of 25 tonnes to the hectare).
He said the product has a big future in northern agriculture, but producing biochar locally is the key to its viability.
“Having a (biochar) machine in the Territory to utilise woody waste will be the key to its success, because it’ll make it cost-effective by reducing transport costs,” he said.
“I think the plantations in the NT will produce large quantities of waste-wood, which can be utilised for biochar production.”
The most likely candidates for biochar production include host trees from the Indian sandalwood industry.
Azain Raban said woody weeds such as mimosa, could also be used to create local Biochar.
“Woody weeds are a huge problem in the Territory, and because we now have mobile biochar machines, you could take the machine to where the weeds are and utilise them on site.”
Raban said a lot woody weeds and waste from plantations are currently burnt, and says turning them into biochar is a much better outcome.
“Turning this waste into biochar is a no-brainer if you ask me.
“If we turn it into biochar instead of just burning it, we avoid the release of carbon dioxide and other toxic emissions associated (with burning),” he said. “We are instead utilising the biomass and producing carbon that actually contributes to soil productivity and plant productivity… so it closes the loop and it’s a no brainer.”
