M E T H O D O L O G Y · B I O C H A R · V 1 . 0
Biochar: from agricultural residues to centuries of carbon storage.
Biochar is the product of a process that is straightforward in principle and rigorous in practice: residual biomass, such as pruning residues, rice husks and exhausted pomace, is converted at high temperature in the absence of oxygen into stable carbonaceous material. Instead of decomposing and releasing CO₂ within a few years, that carbon remains stored in the soil for hundreds of years. It is the most mature and verifiable form of carbon removal currently available in Europe.
Not a promise.
Measurable chemistry.
The durability of carbon in a forestry project depends on fires, droughts and land-use changes. With Biochar it does not: carbon stability is a physical property of the material, measurable in the laboratory with a standard chemical analysis. This makes Biochar one of the most verifiable and audit-proof carbon removal tools available.
H O W I T W O R K S : I N S Y N T H E S I S
From biomass to credit: four steps.
01
Residual biomass is collected
Agricultural residues, forestry by-products or agri-food industry waste are collected and traced. No dedicated crops are used: the feedstock is what would otherwise be disposed of or burned.
02
Pyrolysis transforms biomass into Biochar
At temperatures between 300 and 700°C, in the absence of oxygen, biomass is converted into a highly porous carbonaceous material. Unlike combustion, which releases all carbon as CO₂, pyrolysis incorporates up to 50-60% of it in a stable molecular structure.
03
The material is analyzed and classified
Each Biochar batch is laboratory-tested to determine its stability level. The key parameter is the ratio of hydrogen to carbon in the material's molecular structure: the lower the ratio, the more stable and resistant to degradation the carbon is. Batches are classified into two permanence categories:
Class 1, secular permanence: the Biochar is highly aromatic and stable. Conservative estimated durability exceeds 500 years.
Class 2, high permanence: Biochar shows good stability, with an estimated lifespan between 100 and 500 years. (Minimum CRCF threshold, Biochar must fall at least into Class 2)
04
Biochar is applied to the soil
Once certified, the Biochar is applied to agricultural land or used in construction materials. From that point, the carbon it contains remains stored for hundreds of years, verified, registered and traceable by ID in the Bneutral public registry.
The safety reserve: the buffer pool
Nessun sistema di stoccaggio del carbonio è completamente privo di rischi. Per questo, ogni progetto Biochar certificato bNeutral accantona una percentuale dei crediti in una riserva specifica chiamata buffer pool. Questa riserva copre scenari avversi, come erosione del suolo ed eventi climatici estremi, senza che l'acquirente perda il valore del proprio credito. I crediti nel buffer pool non sono commercializzabili finché il progetto è attivo.
Verified co-benefits
Improved soil water retention capacity, particularly relevant under drought conditions
Reduced nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from treated soils, a gas 265 times more potent than CO₂
Reduced fertiliser requirements in treated soils, up to 20% less
Reduced leaching of nutrients towards groundwater and surface water
T E C H N O L O G Y P A R T N E R
The calculation platform: developed with Kyklos Carbon.
The calculation engine powering the Bneutral Biochar methodology was developed in collaboration with Kyklos Carbon, a technology platform specialising in carbon management and corporate sustainability. Kyklos Carbon contributes the MRV calculation platform, blockchain technology for credit traceability and real-time integration with the public registry.
K Y K L O S C A R B O N
All-in-one platform for corporate net zero
Carbon footprint management, ESG reporting, tailored advisory, carbon credit marketplace and ISO 14064/14067/14068 certification support.
Do you produce Biochar or operate a pyrolysis plant?
The Biochar v1.0 methodology is live. The eligibility check is free and takes 10 working days. Your Biochar could already be generating CRCF credits.