- A Healthier Earth announces plans for the UK’s largest biochar production facility in Wiltshire, alongside a partnership with net zero technology specialists PYREG
- The production facility will be able to produce up to 9,000 tonnes of biochar a year, capturing and storing 17,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, using PYREG’s P500, PX1500 and PX6000 Systems
- This will be A Healthier Earth’s first project of this scale and will take a fully circular and highly scalable approach to creating biochar, with multiple environmental benefits in addition to locking away carbon
London, 11 September 2024. Climate tech catalyst A Healthier Earth has announced its plans for the UK’s largest biochar production facility, its biggest project to date. The British firm has partnered with leading German net zero technology specialists PYREG to produce biochar at scale.
A Healthier Earth, part of Pure Data Centres Group, will be the launch customer of PYREG’s scaled PX6000 pyrolysis machine, with the site in Royal Wootton Basset, Wiltshire also using its PX1500 and P500 machines.
The operation will produce up to 9,000 tonnes of biochar a year, sequestering up to 17,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, which is the equivalent to the annual emissions of over 5,500 conventional gas-powered passenger vehicles, or 28,333,333 hours of standard definition Zoom calls.
A Healthier Earth takes a fully circular and highly scalable approach to producing biochar. At this new site, A Healthier Earth will use local organic waste, preventing it from ending up in landfill or incineration. The site is set to be operational from the beginning of 2025 and will produce circular biochar with multiple global uses and secondary environmental benefits – from soil remediation to water filtration to decarbonising construction materials.
Biochar is a form of captured and sequestered carbon, which is recognised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as an important carbon removal technology. Biochar is created from end-of-life plant material, through a process called pyrolysis – heating the feedstock to over 500°C with little or no oxygen. This results in a porous particulate, made of up to 90% durable carbon, which was originally captured by the plant matter, and is now stored in the biochar.
Experts say the use of biochar in locking away carbon could be a significant contributor in meeting the Paris Agreement of 1.5°C, with research suggesting it can store carbon for thousands of years. All of A Healthier Earth’s work is underpinned by rigorous research, backed by its Scientific Advisory Board, made up of experts specialising in leading and pioneering climate science.
At this new site, A Healthier Earth will ramp up its biochar production over the next three years to produce up to 9,000 tonnes of biochar a year. The climate tech firm will then sell high-integrity biochar carbon credits, representing long-term sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere.
Alastair Collier, Chief R&D Officer at A Healthier Earth said: “Biochar has the potential to have a huge impact in tackling climate change, but it currently isn’t being sufficiently scaled to reach it. Our new partnership with PYREG will help us do that by creating up to 9,000 tonnes of biochar each year, which means we’re sequestering significant and meaningful amounts of carbon from the atmosphere.
“We’re excited to be the launch customer of the PX6000 so we can build the UK’s largest biochar operation in Wiltshire. As a subsidiary of Pure Data Centres Group, this marks our next stage of growth to find and develop climate solutions which be scaled into profitable projects. The development of modern technology brings huge benefit to the way we live our lives, but at a cost with increasing carbon emissions. The data centre industry faces a real challenge in decarbonisation. Cutting emissions should always be the first step, but carbon removal projects like biochar are the climate solutions we need now to have real impact in minimising the effects of unavoidable emissions and ultimately protecting the planet.”
A Healthier Earth and PYREG have entered a long-term partnership, reserving the first PX6000 pyrolysis machine in production, with preferential options on a further three PX6000 machines allowing A Healthier Earth to rapidly scale its carbon capture biochar solutions.
Jörg zu Dohna, CEO from PYREG said: “The PX6000 is designed specifically for “think big” clients such as A Healthier Earth: with four times the capacity of the proven PX1500 System; it opens new horizons for rapid scaling of high-tech biochar carbon removal. At the same time, PYREG Technology already offers integrated digital MRV capabilities, for trustworthy, reliable tracking of carbon credit generation. This integrity benefit enables PYREG’s customers to grow their carbon removal business model. We are delighted to contribute with our technology to this unique project in the UK- on the path to a healthier earth!”
A Healthier Earth has appointed Aberdeen-based engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning specialists PD&MS Group, as their system designer for the project. The project will be led by PD&MS’ in-house low carbon business, Synergie Environ Ltd.
ENDS
About A Healthier Earth – a Pure Data Centres Group company
A Healthier Earth is a climate-tech catalyst that delivers planet-positive projects, at speed and scale. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Pure Data Centres Group and brings together multidiscipline teams of engineers, researchers and practitioners to develop, deliver and operate solutions that help restore the world, while contributing to the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. A Healthier Earth’s geo-specific approach enables it to develop the best solutions to meet regional and global environmental objectives. The organisation urges others to join them, bringing ideas, expertise and resources together to solve earth’s problems and accelerate change.
To find out more about biochar and the projects scaling its production, go to: www.ahealthierearth.com
About PYREG
PYREG GmbH is a world-leading German manufacturer of machines for carbonizing organic waste (biomass, sewage sludge, etc.) into high quality biochar while generating renewable energy. By the end of 2024 PYREG’s 60+ systems sold, worldwide, represent over 60,000 tons of CO2 removal potential per year.
To learn more about PYREG, go to: https://pyreg.com/
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