ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines opportunities for resource recycling in agrarian landscapes using biochar systems. Transportation costs of biochar compared to those of its feedstock decrease because the process of pyrolysis drives off the moisture in the organic material that has no commercial value, as well as carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, which have limited commercial value such as composts compared to mineral fertilizers. In addition to moisture loss, various components of the biomass are volatilized by pyrolysis. An additional consideration is that the regional collection of biomass and conversion to biochar or bio-oil in centralized facilities creates economic opportunities for producing transportation fuels and commercial-grade soil amendments. Larger amounts of nutrient-rich residues could be transformed for recycling to farms at regional, national, and even global scales than at present. Fuel needs for cooking in many regions are met by using woody biomass collected from the surrounding area, which can lead to the degradation of forests.
