Biochar project feasibility
Is your biochar project ready for carbon finance?
A practical guide to the information needed for an early biochar project review, from biomass supply and production technology to end use, records and commercial readiness.
Reviewed September 2026
The starting point
Feasibility starts before the carbon calculation
An early review asks whether the physical project can operate consistently and whether its evidence can meet a credible carbon standard.
A promising project does not need to have every answer at the outset. It does need a clear description of its current position. That includes what is already operating, what is planned, who controls the relevant assets and data, and which assumptions still need to be tested.
Information to prepare
Build the evidence around the material
Organisation and rights
Project ownership, operating entities, land or facility rights, carbon rights, partners and relevant permits.
Biomass supply
Feedstock types, origin, historical and forecast volumes, seasonality, current use, ownership and transport distances.
Technology and operations
Pyrolysis equipment, commissioning status, throughput, energy inputs, operating temperatures, emissions controls and maintenance.
Product quality
Sampling arrangements, laboratory results, moisture content, carbon content and any applicable product specification.
End use and traceability
Intended application, buyers or users, storage and transport, chain of custody and evidence that the biochar reaches an eligible end use.
Commercial and data readiness
Capital and operating costs, financing status, production forecasts, revenue assumptions, record keeping and monitoring responsibility.
What an assessment can show
A clear decision, including when the answer is not yet
An initial assessment can identify a plausible certification route, the main evidence gaps and the work needed before project design begins. It may also show that a change in feedstock arrangements, technology, monitoring or end-use documentation is needed first.
That is valuable information. Resolving a material issue early is usually more efficient than discovering it during validation or verification.
Initial project review
Complete the feasibility questionnaire
Complete what you can, leave unavailable fields blank and return the Word document to our project team.
Develop a biochar project
Bring the project evidence together
CO2balance supports feasibility, methodology selection, project design, monitoring systems and preparation for independent validation and verification.