Dear Roger,
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Samson" <[email protected]>
To: "'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves'" <[email protected]>;
<[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, 15 September, 2010 07:47 PM
Subject: RE: [Stoves] The Biochar myth..another stovers myth
Yes Crispin is correct that is another stovers myth is that biochar saves
trees. Energy lost in carbon buried is carbon borrowed from another
source.
Biochar can be used as fuel or soil nutrient or some other purpose according
to somebody's choice.
"Saving of trees" happens when we "stop cutting the trees". Personally, I am
very much against unreasonable cutting of trees.
My main points are as follows:
1. Use residues for fuel instead of cutting trees.
2. If charcoal from residues is used as soil nutrient, the process is
carbon-negative.
3. If charcoal from residues is burnt as fuel, the process is carbon
neutral.
4. If somebody is cutting trees for fuel ( without proper replacement ),
the process is carbon-positive - contributing to global warming, etc. This
is precisely what is happening today - see how forests disappear.
It's the lignin fraction in biomass (trees, grasses roots etc) that is not
readily decomposed when added to soils. Lignin can be considered the most
important relatively stable C fraction in plants that is not readily
decompsoed. Phytoliths in grasses are also an important carbon source for
forming soils. The grassland soils of the world (chernozems etc) are
formed
as a result of years of deposition of phytoliths We can grow grasses and
pelletize them and create both improved soils and lots of clean bunring
high
yielding fuel.
To my knowledge, carbon from biochar remains in the soil as carbon for much
longer time - compared to carbon present in compost ( which gets converted
into CO2 ). Please correct me if I am wrong.
Best Regards,
Rajan
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