What is Biochar?
Biochar is a Valuable Material and Creates Bioenergy Biochar is a highly-absorbent material that is valuable for soil health, as a climate resilient material in the built environment, as a way to remediate highly polluted industrial sites, for water filtration, and for bioenergy generation. Biochar is a powerfully circular way to fight climate change. Biochar not only removes carbon from the atmosphere, but also creates a valuable material for agriculture, the built environment, and other uses.
Why Biochar?
Biochar is a fine-grained, highly porous material that is made from biomass such as agriculture byproducts, forestry residues, and solid waste (sewage sludge). Biochar is made by high-heat, low-oxygen processes, i.e. pyrolysis or gasification. Biochar as a sustainable and multi-purpose climate change solution technology can help build resilience in local communities that are high-risk and sensitive to the impact of climate change. In the face of rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and the resulting need for adapted agriculture, biochar offers an intersectional solution to issues around soil degradation, carbon removal, land-use challenges, food insecurity, and economic development.
Impact Beyond Carbon
Beyond carbon sequestration, biochar has many environmental, social and economic benefits. When used as a soil amendment, biochar is proven to improve agricultural productivity by helping soils retain water and nutrients and restoring degraded soils. It can be used as a sorbent for wastewater to remove pollutants as well as to remediate contaminated sites. The pyrolysis process to create biochar, generates renewable energy, and furthermore, biochar provides job opportunities and an income for small farmers.
50,000+
Acres Remineralized .
4Gt
100%
of high-quality
rock powder
renewable energy
for low operational costs
How Biochar Works
Enhancing Soil Health
Biochar improves soil structure by increasing porosity and surface area. This helps retain water, nutrients, and beneficial microbes in the root zone. Its high carbon content fosters microbial life and reduces soil acidity. Biochar reduces nutrient leaching, enhancing fertilizer efficiency. Overall, it supports sustainable, long-term soil productivity.
Carbon Sequestration
Biochar locks carbon in a stable form for hundreds to thousands of years. It prevents the rapid decomposition of organic matter into CO₂. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from soils and agriculture. By storing carbon, biochar contributes to climate change mitigation. It is recognized as a negative-emissions technology by climate experts.
Water Retention and Drought Resistance
The porous structure of biochar holds water like a sponge. It improves soil moisture levels, especially in sandy or degraded soils. Plants benefit from increased water availability during dry periods. Biochar reduces irrigation needs, lowering water consumption in farming. This makes crops more resilient to drought and climate stress.
Waste Conversion and Circular Economy
Biochar is produced by pyrolyzing organic waste under limited oxygen. This turns agricultural, forestry, and urban biomass into a valuable product. It diverts waste from landfills and reduces methane emissions. Using local waste materials supports circular and regenerative systems. Biochar offers a low-waste solution that benefits both land and climate.
Our Approach
At McJones Energy, we convert biomass waste such as coconut shells, husks, and other lignocellulosic materials into biochar using thermochemical pyrolysis. This process heats the feedstock in an oxygen limited environment, producing a carbon-rich, porous solid that stabilizes organic carbon and prevents its release as CO₂. The resulting biochar has a high surface area and cation exchange capacity (CEC), enhancing soil physicochemical properties. When applied to agricultural soils, it improves nutrient retention, microbial colonization, and moisture holding capacity. This not only increases crop productivity but also acts as a carbon sink, supporting climate-smart, regenerative agriculture.
