Sustainable Technologies for Small-Scale Biochar Production—A Review
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems
Abstract
Charcoal has found enormous application in both agriculture (AKA biochar) and other sectors.
Despite its potential benefits, small scale technologies relevant for its production remain a challenge.
Technologies striking a balance between user friendliness, energy efficiency, ease of adaptation
and limited emissions could easily be integrated into the local community for the sustainable
production of biochar answering both technical and socio-economic aspects. These technologies
can be customized to recover the produced heat alongside biochar and the producer gas. The
purpose of this work is to review the state of the art in small scale technologies, their associated
risks and challenges as well as research gaps for future work. Factors affecting biochar production
have been discussed and temperature is known to heavily influence the biomass to biochar conversion
process. Based on the reviewed work, there is a need to develop and promote sustainable
and efficient technologies that can be integrated into biochar production systems. There is also
further need to develop portable, economically viable technologies that could be integrated into
the biochar production process without compromising the quality of produced biochar. Such technologies
at midscale level can be channeled into conventional small scale farmer use in order that
the farmers can process their own biochar.
Description
Keywords
Biochar, Technologies, Small Scale, Sustainable, Farmers
Citation
Nsamba, H. K., Hale, S. E., Cornelissen, G., & Bachmann, R. T. (2015). Sustainable technologies for small-scale biochar production—a review. Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, 5(01), 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jsbs.2015.51002