At Orejen Carbon, we help producers measure, verify, and scale high‑integrity biochar carbon removal (BCR) with digital MRV (dMMRV). This article explains the process end-to-end, what “counts” as carbon removal, and how we assure quality.

The process of Biochar Carbon Removal

1. Feedstock: Residual Biomass, Not New Harvest

Biochar carbon removal begins with residues - materials that would otherwise return carbon to the atmosphere through decomposition or open burning. By diverting them to pyrolysis, we convert short‑lived biogenic carbon into a much more stable form.

What we accept (kept short for clarity):

• Agricultural residues (husks, shells, cobs, prunings)
• Forestry by‑products (chips, bark, sawdust)
• Clean, uncontaminated organic wastes

Evidence we capture in dMMRV (digital measurement, monitoring, reporting & verification) to make claims verifiable:

• Source site and batch ID, material type, moisture/contamination checks
• Mass/volume records, production records such as temperature, reactor pressure, residence time, photos, GPS/route and chain‑of‑custody
• Laboratory tests
• Emissions tests

We must meet the minimum requirements of a carbon removal standard, and ideally provide more data to improve transparency, build trust with buyers, and show the impact of the project in near/real-time.

2. Pyrolysis: Locking Carbon into Biochar

In a low-oxygen reactor, biomass is thermochemically converted rather than combusted, forming stable aromatic carbon structures that resist decomposition. Biochar stability correlates with elemental ratios—particularly hydrogen-to-organic-carbon (H/C_org) and oxygen-to-carbon (O/C); lower ratios indicate higher carbonization and longer half-life. Leading certification standards apply a quality threshold of H/C_org ≤ 0.7 for carbon-sink eligibility.During pyrolysis, condensable vapors (bio-oil) and non-condensable gases (syngas) are also produced. Syngas is typically recirculated to supply process heat or electricity, while bio-oil yield and utilization depend on feedstock composition and reactor design. Some systems recover bio-oil as a valuable co-product, whereas projects focused exclusively on durable carbon removals often minimize or combust it to streamline operations and accounting.

Key quality controls:

• Temperature, residence time, oxygen levels, emissions monitoring
• Biochar sampling for fixed carbon, H/C_org, ash, pH, PAHs, heavy metals
• SCADA/PLC data streams, shift logs, sample IDs, lab certificates

3. Biochar Product: Two Main Storage Pathways

Once produced, biochar is routed into applications that maximise permanence and co‑benefits. At Orejen Carbon we encourage agricultural use can deliver soil improvements alongside durable storage - meaning real impact at local community levels.

Construction materials (preferred long‑life use):

• Bricks, concrete blocks, mortar, lightweight panels, asphalt modifiers, composites
• Long service life and protection from biological oxidation; growing evidence on safe substitution rates without compromising performance

Agriculture (soil application with conservative permanence):

• Improves structure, water retention, and nutrient efficiency; N₂O reductions are context‑dependent and should not be assumed without measurement or robust modelling
• Permanence factors depend on biochar quality (e.g., H/C_org), soil, climate, and incorporation method

Traceability in both pathways: batch IDs follow the product to end use with invoices, coordinates, installation records, and QA documents stored in dMMRV.

4. What “Counts” as Removal

The creditable climate claim is a balance between stable carbon stored and the emissions required to deliver it. We compute this at batch level with transparent defaults and auditable data.

Conceptual balance (kept simple):

• Sequestration: carbon stabilised as biochar (from measured fixed‑carbon × mass)
• Minus lifecycle emissions: feedstock collection/transport, drying and process energy (net of syngas), plant operations, end‑use handling
• ± Verified side‑effects: avoided open‑burning methane and measured soil N₂O changes when robustly evidenced

The Orejen Difference: dMMRV Built for BCR

Traditional MRV waits for paperwork at the end. Orejen’s dMMRV captures proof the moment work happens, turning operations into verification‑ready evidence and reducing time to issuance.

How dMMRV lowers integrity risk and can speed issuance:

• Real‑time capture of weighbridge records, photos, GPS trails, sensor feeds, and lab certificates
• Automated validation (unit checks, geofencing, outlier flags) and preserved chain‑of‑custody
• On‑demand, auditor‑friendly verification packages

Integrity That Scales

High‑quality BCR depends on five principles. We design projects and controls around these from day one so scale never compromises credibility.

Our five pillars:

• Additionality – the project relies on carbon credit revenue to be financially viable and ensures that biomass residues are converted into long-lived carbon storage rather than short-term uses or decay
• Permanence – quality thresholds (e.g., H/C_org), conservative decay rates, long‑life uses
• No double counting – unique batch IDs and single retirement events
• Safeguards – clean feedstocks, emissions controls, worker and community protections
• Traceability – end‑to‑end digital chain of custody

Where BCR Fits Best

Biochar carbon removal (BCR) delivers the strongest climate and economic outcomes where residue supplies are reliable, moisture can be effectively managed, and the resulting syngas can displace fossil energy on site. The approach is especially compelling when local manufacturers can incorporate biochar into bricks, concrete, or other materials without compromising performance, or when biochar is applied to sandy or degraded soils that benefit from improved water retention, nutrient efficiency, and microbial activity. By enhancing soil fertility and supporting circular local industries, BCR creates durable climate impact alongside tangible economic and agronomic benefits.

What Buyers and Developers Should Ask For

A short checklist keeps due diligence focused and efficient. Buyers gain confidence; developers reduce rework and speed audits.

For buyers: request feedstock provenance, batch‑level lab results, the construction vs. agriculture end‑use split, and a transparent net‑removal calculation with sample evidence from dMMRV.

For developers: secure residue MOUs, select data‑logging reactors, agree early with construction or agricultural offtakers, and adopt a sampling plan linked to accredited labs. Onboard to Orejen’s dMMRV before first production for a smoother first audit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pyrolysis oil allowed?

Yes — its treatment depends on project design and intended carbon accounting. High-integrity BCR projects typically minimize or combust pyrolysis oil on-site, using syngas to supply process heat or electricity. Bio-oil may be recovered as a co-product only when its downstream use or storage pathway is transparently documented, verified, and included in emissions accounting.

How long does biochar store carbon?

When produced under optimal conditions, biochar incorporated into construction materials can store carbon for many decades to centuries. In soils, the highly stable fraction also persists for centuries to millennia. Conservative decay rates are applied in carbon-accounting models to ensure durability is never overstated.

Do soil benefits count as carbon removal?

Not by default. Improvements in soil structure, water retention, or crop yield are recognized as co-benefits, not core removals, unless direct measurements demonstrate quantifiable greenhouse-gas reductions (e.g., reduced N₂O emissions or verified soil organic-carbon gains).

Work with Orejen Carbon

We help you design, monitor, and verify biochar projects—from residue mapping and reactor selection to custom dMMRV and credit issuance. If you’re planning a BCR project, we’ll make the carbon accounting seamless and credible.

→ Get in touch to start your BCR project.

💡 Key takeaways:

• Input: Residual biomass (crop residues, prunings, sawdust).
• Process: Pyrolysis—heating biomass in low oxygen—creates biochar plus syngas (used for heat/electricity) and a small amount of pyrolysis oil (typically minimized/avoided).
• Output & Storage: Biochar stores carbon for centuries when used in construction materials (e.g., bricks, concrete blocks, asphalt modifiers) or agriculture (soil application).
• Climate Claim: Removal = CO₂ in biomass that is stabilized as biochar minus all lifecycle emissions (collection, drying, transport, energy, emissions from the plant and end use).
• Assurance: Orejen’s dMMRV captures proof at the moment work happens so credits are verification-ready.

💡 References:

[1] European Biochar Certificate (EBC) – Guidelines

[2] International Biochar Initiative (IBI) Biochar Standards v2.1

[3] Lehmann, J. & Joseph, S. (eds.) Biochar for Environmental Management

[4] Puro.earth Biochar Methodology (2023/2025)