The autumn 2020, Lindum started the operation of the pilot plant for pyrolysis and production of biochar in Drammen. Pyrolysis is the process of combustion without oxygen, transforming bioresources such as wood, garden waste and sludge into biochar. The process and the plant will be vital in order to boost the circular economy by increasing the material recycling rate of organic waste, and by replacing fossil-based products.
The pilot plant will also be used in a large research project about pyrolysis and development of sustainable circular products for treatment of soil, air and wastewater. Partners in this project, named VOW, are Lindum, Scanship, VEAS, Mivanor and the research institutes NGI and Sintef. Read more about the project here: https://www.ngi.no/Nyheter/Pressemeldinger/Biokull-av-organisk-avfall
The biochar plant is according to Thomas Hartnik, Director of FoU in Lindum, a circular Kinder egg for treatment of problem waste, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and production of valuable agricultural products.
Biochar holds many properties that will contribute to a more sustainable food production, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and a more climate robust agriculture. When adding biochar into the soil, it will act like a sponge, draining water at heavy rainfalls, and keeping the soil moist during drought. The biochar also works like a “nutrition-battery” for the plants when added into the soil together with a biofertilizer, giving a long-term fertilizing effect. The biofertilizer contains large amounts of nitrogen that transforms into the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide when added into the soil. Biochar has a special ability to bind nitrogen into the soil, therefore reducing the emission of greenhouse gases from agriculture. At the same time, biochar is very resistant to biodegradation, and will therefore function as a carbon storage for many hundred years, when ploughed into the fields.
Reklima and N2-appied are together with other companies in the process of innovating and optimizing soil improving products based on the combination of biofertilizer and biochar.