Vocational Training for Biochar Artisans and Project Partners
As endorsed C-Sink Managers, we train everything around artisan biochar production, starting with the bigger picture of carbon removal, up to the correct application of the methodology on the ground to become certified. Once we onboard a new project, all project stakeholder, depending on their role, will go through one or several of our trainings. Our trainers (Ausbilderinnen & Ausbilder) guide our project partners through the process and will deliver personal on-the-ground trainings until the partners effectively become trainers themselves (train-the-trainer) and can operate self-autonomously. Depending on the project scope it may take a few weeks, or several months until all processes are ready to be certified.
Artisan Pro
An Artisan Pro will operate on a manufactured steel kiln, utilizing larger amounts of biomass occurring at processing facilities. Processes are normalized and the project is structured to reach maximum efficiency. Measurement, Reporting, and Verification is more extensive. For example, every kiln has an ID and QR-Codes are used for every bag of biochar produced, tracking up to the final carbon sink.
Artisan Farmer
A so-called 'C-Sink Farmer' will operate with a simple soil pit utilizing residues from their own farm. Up to 1,000 farmers can be part of a network that the project partner operates. The type of project is designed to also include farmers in rural and remote areas. Hence, the Measurement, Reporting, and Verification is less extensive compared to an Artisan Pro. It is even the more important that every single farmer goes through intensive on-the-ground training and that well-trained Inspectors check and report on the production processes regularly.
Internal Inspector
Every project requires internal inspectors that carry out unannounced inspections, checking on the production processes, working conditions, correct application of biochar, and so on. Digital track & trace software is important and makes sure that production has really occurred, and hence, climate impact exercised. But, inspections add additional trust and make sure that everyone is working at their best.
dMRV
A substantial part that makes artisan biochar projects possible is the digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification. We are proud users of the PlantVillage Software that allows us the ongoing monitoring of all our projects. We teach the correct usage of the App even to farmers in the remotest areas to let them be part of the climate economy also.
Let's remove CO₂ together with Biochar!
Frequently asked questions
1. Why do we need Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)?
According to the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, "the deployment of CDR to counterbalance hard-to-abate emissions is unavoidable if net-zero CO₂ or greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are to be achieved". In other words, we are out of budget and all efforts to reduce or avoid emissions will not be enough. We need to incorporate net-negative-emissions activities into our economy to remove, depending on the scenario we will face in the future, up to 21 gigatons of CO₂ per year by 2050. This poses an enormous challenge which can only be mastered collectively.
2. Are Carbon Offsets and Carbon Dioxide Removal the same?
As the emerging carbon market struggles to find uniformed definitions, the boundaries between the two concepts are often blurry and misunderstood. However, they are clearly to be distinguished. Offsets most commonly refer to emissions reductions or avoidance. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) principles allow to only sell the net-negative emissions and generally undergo more strict quality measures to ensure the highest integrity:
Permanence: How long will the CO₂ be safely removed from the atmosphere?
Additionality: Does the CDR activity cause new climate benefits, or would the carbon removal have happened anyway?
Carbon leakage: Are emissions shifted elsewhere because of the CDR activity?
Negativity: How emission-intensive is the CDR process relative to its carbon removal potential?
Verifiability: How is the CO₂ removal monitored and verified?
Co-benefits/risks: What are the consequences for ecosystems, biodiversity, food security, etc.?
3. Is it expensive to start a Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) operation?
In our experience, capital expenditures are on average around 20,000 - 30,000 EUR, give or take, depending on the economic environment.
4. How long does it take to start a project?
From the first handshake until a fully audited project takes about 3 months if everything runs smoothly and everyone pushes forward. If this process has been done once, the next project can be onboarded a lot faster.
Artisanal Biochar Carbon Removal Projects
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