Use of Biochar in Production of Feedstocks for Low Carbon Biofuels

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently issued its Technical Guidelines for Production of Regenerative Agricultural Biofuel Feedstocks. The Guidelines outline the practices that farmers can use to lower the carbon intensity of their crops and the biofuels produced from them. Lowering the carbon intensity of biofuels can qualify them for price premiums and tax credits for low carbon fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel.

The initial guidelines include the use of reduced tillage, cover crops and nutrient management to lower the carbon intensity of biofuel feedstocks; but not biochar.

Nevertheless, USDA has committed to explore the addition of biochar to the Guidelines. USDA is concerned with the potential for double counting the carbon sequestered in soil by biochar. Double counting would occur if a biochar producer claimed carbon removal credits for the same biochar that is used to qualify fuel for the sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. We are working with USDA and other biochar advocates to find a solution.

USDA Carbon Amendment Practice Standard 336

Carbon Amendment Practice Standard 336 makes biochar eligible for incentive payments through USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). But USDA has excluded biochar produced from crop residue.

We have urged USDA to lift the exclusion if the crop residue used to produce biochar is harvested in a sustainable manner by leaving sufficient crop residue or cover crops to maintain soil health and control erosion. This summer, USDA invited comments on draft changes to the Practice Standard, including a change that would lift the exclusion of biochar produced from crop residue. We have submitted comments in support of the change.

We pointed out that crop residue converted to biochar and returned to soil contributes more to soil carbon, soil health and productivity than leaving the raw crop residue on the land. We urged USDA to move forward with the change to allow incentive payments on biochar produced from crop residue.