Hello to the IBI Community –

It was truly amazing to gather so many of you together for IBI’s annual symposium – and if you missed the live, three-day event, you can still watch the panels, and get the presentations at this link for a small fee. With over a dozen highly expert presenters covering everything from urban biochar uses to reaching the IPCC negotiations, this would be an excellent end of year gift for yourself or a colleague.

At the Symposium, we announced an exciting new biochar education program: the Biochar "Hot Shots" Academy - a two-week in-person training, the first of which will be 19 - 30 June 2023 in upstate New York. The goal of the academy is to provide skills training to support our rapidly growing industry and enable participants to provide biochar training to others.

If you have any end-of-the-year giving left to do, please consider supporting scholarships for the biochar academy.

We also announced other compelling projects we’re launching in 2023: 

🌎 INDUSTRY GIANTS JOIN FORCES: IBI Sustaining member and Symposium sponsor Carbonfuture has inked a multi-year offtake agreement with Swiss reinsurer Swiss Re AG to support high-quality standards in the biochar carbon removal market. Here’s why it’s reportedly among the largest biochar agreements ever signed.

WATCH NOW: IBI member and Symposium headline sponsor Puro.Earth explains in a new video what biochar is and how this important supplier is helping Zurich, Switzerland, reach net zero while making a difference in forest fire affected areas.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: What’s the importance of having a standard behind carbon removal methodologies? Two leaders at IBI member and Symposium headline sponsor Puro.Earth tell all in this one-on-one chat with the Carbon Herald.

HOT JOB OPENING: IBI member and Symposium sponsor Carbonfuture is looking for a new operations manager to spearhead its rapidly growing U.S. team. The hybrid position is in a place you’ll love: the San Francisco Bay area. Apply now!

TUNE IN: Bio360 Expo is set for February and IBI is an event partner. A certain topic of discussion: biochar. But what is biochar? And what are its applications, perspectives and beneficiaries? Harald Bier, the head of the European Biochar Industry Consortium, an IBI member, offers expert commentary and insight into biochar’s promising future in this must-listen-to podcast.

LAST WORD: The European Biochar Industry Consortium also released a statement on the recent EU Commission Proposal on Carbon Removal. The synopsis: a “welcome…good basis for a long road ahead.”

FOLLOW FOR MORE: Biochar projects are abundant in Africa—where gender and pyrolytic clean cooking stoves make all the difference in rural communities. Follow IBI Board member Lucia Brusegan to learn all about biochar projects across the Mother Continent.

CASE STUDY: An inspirational must-read, this case study from IBI members Carbonfuture and Pacific Biochar details how perseverance turned a biochar pioneer into an industry leader.

WATCH NOW: How can humans better collaborate with nature to get excess atmospheric carbon back into the soil and reestablish balance in our carbon relationship? A short documentary from IBI member Nadav Ziv provides insight.

FREE WEBINAR: Learn about new pyrolysis opportunities for biosolids and the resultant biochar in under one hour from the Green Carbon European Training Network in 25 minutes. Reserve your spot now!

SOIL HEALTH RESOLUTION at COP27: CA4SH partners mobilize soil advocates across sectors.

📢 NEW REPORT: How can low-value or non-merchantable woody biomass from forest thinning and restoration projects help produce biochar products and carbon credits? A new study from the Biochar Carbon Credit Market sheds some promising light.

CLIMATE GOALS: Biochar has an important role to play as European nations work together to scale up carbon removal, a Microsoft EU Policy Blog says. Here’s how to best support the emerging new market and policies that will enable it to scale.

NEW REPORT: What steps do we need to take to create a more circular, bio-based Danish economy? A new analysis from Roskilde University in Denmark offers a proven broad roadmap.

INSIDE SCOOP: Learn about sustainable conversion of biomass to lithium-ion battery graphite. A new scholar article examines how to best produce graphite at a laboratory scale with tailored morphological properties.

GRANT OPPORTUNITY: The nonprofit Grow Further has an open grant announcement for agricultural research projects to benefit developing countries. The deadline to apply for this exciting opportunity is Jan. 31, 2023. But you know how these things work: It’s best to apply ASAP.

NEW PROJECTS: PepsiCo continues to work with farmers in Punjab, India, to develop kilns that can turn their agricultural waste into fertilizer known as biochar. A new round of projects was just announced.

NOMINATE NOW: Who would you nominate as one of the 500 most innovative, transformative leaders in the advanced bioeconomy? Cast your vote now! It’s quick and easy.

BIG MARKET OPPORTUNITIES: New research claims the biochar market could swell to $2.29 billion U.S. dollars by 2028.

NEW INVESTMENT: The Ontario and Canada governments will invest more than $11.3 million to expand a CHAR Technologies facility to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) and biocarbon. Here’s why it’ll be the largest of its kind in Canada and the only RNG facility countrywide to exclusively use woody biomass.

REMOTE JOB OPENING: The Digest needs a new online community manager. The gig comes with a load of benefits—perhaps none more advantageous than the ability to set your own hours and literally work from anywhere. Apply now!

NEW STUDY: Sludge to biochar—it’s a sustainable waste management option, researchers say. A new scholarly article from the Journal of Hazardous Materials details four reasons why.

PRODUCERS & RESEARCHERS AGREE: The scale-up of a sustainable biochar sector is critical to meet climate target goals, build agricultural resilience and soil health, according to the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program. See why.

NEW INTRODUCTIONS: Learn more about a unique research group that includes biochar as a remediation technology for PFAS-contaminated soil, water, infrastructure and waste.

NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES: Are you early in your career with an interest in biochar research? The Biochar Demonstrator Flexible Fund is now open. Applications are being accepted through Feb. 3, 2023. Don’t hesitate—apply for your funding now!

CHANGING LIVES: Read all about Pond Foundation’s biochar projects with small shareholder farmers in Northern Ghana.

BIG UPDATE: Hear what’s happening with the headline-making Zambia BioCharcoal project, which aims to investigate the potential of organic waste biochar to sequester carbon and improve the quality of weathered and/or acidic Zambian soils.

SOILED DIAPERS INTO BIOCHAR? Yes! It can be done—and it has been done. Read how Dyper became the first company to char a diaper with its groundbreaking technology.

THE FUTURE OF STEEL: This Biochar Zero feature details how biochar can be used as a substitute for fossil raw materials to improve the steel and metals industry’s environmental footprint.

SEE MORE: Visit the IBI Events page to see more virtual and in-person industry events fast in the works.