This recognition guarantees that the biomass raw material is obtained and produced sustainably, that emission limits are respected, and that storage procedures are environmentally friendly.
Carboliva has recently obtained the European Biochar Certificate (EBC). It is the first Spanish production company to achieve this international recognition, which guarantees that the biomass raw material is obtained and produced sustainably, that emission limits are respected, and that storage procedures are environmentally friendly. Furthermore, it utilizes the best available techniques for thermal energy generation, while simultaneously addressing emissions from the drying of pomace, the byproduct of olive oil mills.
Achieving this European certification entails compliance with a significant number of requirements regarding biomass composition and traceability. “Biochar quality is controlled and documented in all its aspects, and all limits for the different classes of use are respected in accordance with current regulations,” reports Álvaro Espuny, manager and founder of Carboliva.
Carboliva’s biochar is, therefore, the first Spanish biochar to meet all sustainable production requirements with a positive impact on the climate and the environment. It should be noted that this company, located at the Acesur-Coosur Complex in Puente del Obispo (Jaén), produces its biochar using a pyrolytic kiln that indirectly heats the biomass to produce biogas and biochar in the absence of oxygen.
Biochar is primarily intended for agricultural use, as it has the capacity to improve the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil and increase crop productivity, while also contributing to carbon sequestration, making it a tool for climate change mitigation.
The EBC certification arose from the need to introduce a secure control and evaluation system for biochar production, since its environmental footprint depends largely on pyrolysis parameters and the type of raw materials used. Currently, the European Biochar Certificate is a voluntary industry standard in Europe. However, in Switzerland, it is mandatory for all biochar sold for use in agriculture, and other countries have adapted their biochar-related regulations to the European Biochar Certificate.