Dairy Exporter November 2021

Page 67

ENVIRONMENT SOIL CARBON

Promise in biochar Words by: Karen Trebilcock

N

Z Landcare Trust hopes to hold field days throughout New Zealand soon on incorporating biochar into NZ pastoral

systems. Biochar is any material from renewable sources high in carbon which has been heated at high temperatures without oxygen so the carbon is mostly in a stable state when it is buried. It can be made from wood from production forests, orchards or the building industry or from straw and even animal manure.

as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. “And although biochar is not covered by the government’s Emissions Trading Scheme, if carbon prices rose high enough and it was included, then the cost of making biochar could be mostly covered.” As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, biochar is also good for the soil as it is porous. “It retains moisture and nutrients in the soil and stops them leaching into waterways and also contains small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well, depending on the source.” Massey University has built its own

‘It retains moisture and nutrients in the soil and stops them leaching into waterways and also contains small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well, depending on the source.’

Massey University research director Jim Jones says it is an alternative way to reduce waste from many industries including horticulture and farming and about five million tonnes of biomass produced every year in NZ could be made into biochar. If left to rot, the organic matter is broken down and released into the atmosphere

biomass kiln and found reducing gas emissions during the process was vital or any benefit was lost. No one yet knows what effect biochar could have on NZ’s soil carbon levels. “Our soil carbon levels are about 100 tonnes of carbon per hectare and we suspect adding biochar will increase these levels but we don’t know. We need long-

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | November 2021

Massey University research director Jim Jones.

term studies to find out. “For carbon to be considered sequestered it has to be stable in the ground for more than 100 years. “The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has established if biochar is made at 600C or more then after 100 years about 89% of it will still be there because it has been turned into a stable form. “If the biochar is made at between 350 and 450C then only about 65% will be sequestered.” Massey University trials has shown about half of the carbon of the biomass could be captured after the carbon used to make it such as from transporting the biomass was subtracted. “The cost of production depends on the scale but it is about $400/t to make. “We need it to be included as a recognised carbon sink then it looks a lot more economically possible.” 67


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Articles inside

Keep the water flowing

5min
pages 86-88

The Dairy Exporter in November 1971

3min
pages 90-92

Want to save time milking?

2min
page 89

Former Lincoln student making a buzz from honey

6min
pages 80-81

Kieran McCahon hears the call of the land

6min
pages 82-83

LUDF: Cows approve of milking blend

6min
pages 84-85

Mastitis: Somatic cell counts - How low can you go?

6min
pages 74-75

Tools for timing effluent application

8min
pages 68-71

System in-line to cut methane

7min
pages 64-66

Soil carbon: Blame it on the worms

6min
pages 72-73

Wagyu: Calf contracts come with semen straws

3min
page 76

Winning with tetraploids

4min
pages 62-63

Soil Carbon: The promise in biochar

2min
page 67

MINDA: Sharing the technology

2min
page 77

Collaborating on forages

6min
pages 60-61

Endophytes key to ryegrass success

5min
pages 56-57

Lipids: Catching them in the rye

5min
pages 58-59

Treating the pasture right at Canvastown

6min
pages 52-53

Trevor Ellett: A ryegrass pioneer

3min
pages 54-55

Why do more on emissions?

3min
pages 44-45

Strong growth in sheep dairy

3min
pages 42-43

US tests of NZ-developed ryegrass

5min
pages 49-51

Saving on summer nitrogen

2min
page 41

Realising the ownership goal

8min
pages 38-40

Market View: Milk price silly season continues 12

3min
pages 20-21

Dispensers get farm fresh milk close to customers

4min
pages 30-33

Making the most of a Treaty settlement

7min
pages 22-24

Phil Edmonds reckons it’s time for banks to go back to the land

9min
pages 14-17

Mark Chamberlain detects change with a difference

3min
page 13

Global Dairy: US Cheesemakers on the march

5min
pages 18-19

At a wet Punakaiki, risk is real for the Reynolds family

3min
page 11

Hamish Hammond transitions to once-a-day milking

3min
page 12
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