Welcome to the UKBRC
Biochar is a specially designed charcoal which offers a bright future for organic resource management, soil improvement and energy production.
It contains a high proportion of extremely stable carbon, and so sustainable production of biochar can be a significant, viable Negative Emissions Technology for mitigating human-induced climate change. Find out more about biochar
The UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC) leads cutting edge, multidisciplinary investigation of biochar in the UK. It is part of the School of GeoSciences at University of Edinburgh, in conjunction with Newcastle University and Rothamsted Research. Find out more about UKBRC.
UKBRC undertakes primary research into the production and use of bicohar as well as engaging with relevant Governmental bodies.
Click here to access the report prepared by UKBRC and commissioned by the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC): "An Assessment of the Benefits and Issues Associated with the Application of Biochar to Soil" (edited by Simon Shackley and Saran Sohi, published June 2010).
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued an Interim Regulatory Position Statement on biochar - the first regulatory agency in the UK to develop a formal position on biochar regulation.
Latest News & Developments
NERC Research Experience Placement available
Undergraduate seeking summer research experience? NERC Research Experience Placements (REPs) introduce students with strong quantitative skills to environmental science research. We have a funded placement to relate biochar properties to biochar effects. A stipend for up to 10 weeks is available, on completion of the project and a final report. To apply: check the eligibility criteria and contact email sarah.mcallister@ed.ac.uk (deadline 30th June 2013)
13 June 2013
Change of venue for BBF conference
The venue for the first British Biochar Foundation (BBF) conference has been moved to Oxford's Hawkwell House Hotel. http://www.hawkwellhouse.co.uk/
Places are still available to attend the conference on 20-21 June, featuring a talk by Dr Saran Sohi of the UKBRC.
http://www.britishbiocharfoundation.org/?page_id=287
10 June 2013
Biochar Quality Mandate published for consultation
The new Biochar Quality Mandate (BQM) has now been published for a period of public consultation. This is an important step on the road to the expansion of a safe UK biochar industry.
The Biochar Quality Mandate (BQM) provides the criteria by which a safe to use, good quality biochar product can be evaluated with reference to the UK context.
The BQM, which will be discussed at the BBF meeting in June, can be read here. http://biocharbraf.wordpress.com/
Responses to the consultation should be directed to the authors as outlined in the link.
07 June 2013
First UKBRC PhD completion
Teri Angst has filed her corrected PhD thesis and will graduate on 1st July 2013. She started with UKBRC in Sept 2009, funded by VenEarth. Her work was submitted on three years and two papers are published (another in revision and one more submitted). A key context has been the integration of biochar into grassland management, a theme continuing in collaboration with SRUC. Teri is seeking to continue in the biochar and/or sustainability field, drawing on her experience of both scientific research and IP.
28 May 2013
Report on the feasibility and sustainability of biochar as a peat replacement
A report commissioned by the Government's "Task Force on Sustainable Growing Media" has just been published. It considers the technical potential of biochar as a peat replacement and goes on to scope sustainability issues. The UKBRC-led project engaged ADAS, Carbon Consulting and the Knowledge Transfer Network to interpret feasibility in the light of industry views. The combined findings on feasibility and sustainability are available in a PDF that can be downloaded from the Defra website (download the report here).
23 May 2013
Other Recent Content & Updates
Recent Publications
Biochar−root interactions are mediated by biochar nutrient content and biochar impacts on soil nutrient availability
Authors: Miranda Prendergast-Miller, Michael Duvall and Saran Sohi
Published in European Journal of Soil Science (In Press)
Read more..
Published: September 1 2013
Evaluating the impacts of biochar on the fate and dynamics of dairy manure in agricultural soil
Authors: Teri Angst
Published in PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh
Read more..
Published: May 24 2013
Biochar in growing media: A sustainability and feasibility assessment
Authors: Saran Sohi, John Gaunt, John Atwood
Published in PDF format on Defra website
Read more..
Published: May 23 2013