WHY NOW?

An increase in land abandonment is leading to nuisance vegetation such as rushes (Juncus spp.) and bracken (Pterdium) or furze (Ulex spp.) or spreading of Hazel (Corylus) scrub onto previously agriculture land, as can be seen in the Burren.
​Herbicides such as MCPA and Glyphosate are widely used in the control of rushes and Asulam is used to control Bracken.
Whether controlled chemically or mechanically the unutilised biomass is left to decay which returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
In order to be eligible for farm entitlements, agriculture land must be kept managed in a state suitable for grazing.
Control of vegetation is essential on commonage land as under-management can result in an increase in biomass, often associated with significantly damaging wildfires at the critical period of bird nesting. Farmers are required to undertake vegetation control under GLAS in Special Protection Areas (SPA)  for conservation of the hen harrier.
A considerable expense is made annually on the control of this nuisance vegetation which is a necessary drain on the farmer.

What if there was  an alternative?

But what if there was an alternative to leaving the vegetation or biomass rotting back into the ground or an alternative for the use of herbicides that could help the land owners and the environment. Without a product there isn’t an economically sustainable solution to this issue. This is where biochar comes in.
The biomass can be harvested within a time frame that is not detrimental to flora or fauna and then processed on site to produce biochar. This biochar can then be reapplied to the same land it came from or alternatively added to bovine animal feed and causing a cascade affect to multiply the benefits.
This is what this EIP project is about.

what is it?

Biochar is a charcoal-like product produced by heating biomass in low oxygen conditions to 400 - 800°c.
At this temperature much of the volatile contents are removed leaving a stable, carbon-rich biochar with an open porous structure. Biochar and charcoal have been used for millennia as soil improvers and as an addition for animal feeds.

HOW?

A key part of this project is to build a Mobile pyrolysis unit (MPU) to turn the biomass saved by the land owners into biochar. The bales of biomass, such as rushes will be pre-chopped and then loaded into a hopper to pass through the MPU at a set temperature and residence time. The biochar will then be stored in bulk bags to be used by the land owners as required.

WHAT THEN?

For this project, biochar will be comprehensively tested to describe its characteristics. This testing  will include elemental analysis, screening for potential toxic elements and PAH’s. Once shown to be safe, it will be used on farm as feed input, slurry additive or directly to soil to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase  long term soil carbon store whilst improving soil fertility.