Taking on the
Challenge of
Organic Waste
Taking on the
Challenge of
Organic Waste
B10 is a producer of biochar. Our initial focus will be in South Africa, although we believe that our business can expand into other countries in due course. We are investing in the latest technology. Our biochar will be produced in advanced fully-automated continuous kilns from waste biomass materials that would otherwise be simply burned or allowed to rot.
We have two main goals.
Firstly, by converting waste biomass into biochar, we are locking the carbon content of that biomass into a stable form that will remain stable for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Secondly, we will help local communities. Biochar has amazing properties apart from its ability to capture carbon. It is a highly effective organic fertilizer as well being superb for water retention.
The business is privately financed by the founding partners. The founding team has a diverse set of skills but share a passion for creating a business that is doing something good for the world.
Test Production facility
Tons of waste to be processed
Tons of CO2 to be removed
Tons of biochar to be produced
The oldest known charcoal from a fireplace was discovered in Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, dating back approximately 1 million years. This ancient charcoal serves as a practical example of the longevity of charcoal, having locked up carbon for a million years. Biochar, a very pure form of charcoal, has a carbon content of up to 90% by mass.
Trees are an integral part of the natural carbon cycle. Through photosynthesis, they sequester carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen. When biomass is burned or naturally decays, the carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO2, continuing the cycle.
Creating biochar from wood interrupts this natural carbon cycle. The carbon content of the wood is converted into a very stable form of carbon through a high-heat, low-oxygen pyrolysis process. This process produces a substance that remains stable for thousands of years, and as demonstrated, up to a million years.
What B10 does with biochar can be described as “reverse coal mining.” Instead of extracting carbon (coal) that was sequestered millions of years ago and burning it, thus adding CO2 to the atmosphere, we reverse the process. We produce (char)coal and return it to the earth for long-term carbon storage.
Our production is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2025. Our aim is that B10 becomes known as the brand that produces one of the world’s highest qualities of biochar.
Through lab testing and field research, we believe we have found the requirements for the production of high carbon, fertile biochar for use in the farming and agricultural industries.
The highly porous nature of our biochar makes it the ideal soil enhancer, as it holds water and nutrients better than soil by itself.
We will be offering the product to the farming and agricultural industry in both retail and wholesale quantities. For best results, biochar should be “pre-charged” with nutrients, typically animal manure, before adding to the soil. B10 will be offering biochar in both raw and pre-charged format. Our experts will guide you through how the product can be used to maximise your yields. Farming is a traditional industry. Therefore, for early adopters, we will be offering highly attractive incentives so that you can “try before you buy” and experience the positive effects on your crops during a full cycle.
At B10, not only do we want to make a positive difference to our environment, but also have a positive impact on the communities surrounding our projects. In South Africa, unemployment and lack of job opportunities is a major issue effecting the poorer sections of our society. B10 will be erecting biochar plants in areas of high unemployment and will be offering job opportunities and on-site training to staff chosen directly from communities most in need.
In addition, B10 will be donating significant biochar production to these local communities to assist with soil enhancement and improve crop yields, thus ensuring that they can become self-sustainable farming operations, capable of feeding their surrounding communities. The B10 philosophy is one of caring for the environment and caring for the people and communities surrounding our operations.
We are always open to new ideas on how to help our community. If you would like to learn more about our efforts or have any suggestions on how to help the community further, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at community.outreach@b10-char.com
The world is racing to limit its carbon emissions so that the growth in global temperatures can be halted. We need not only to reduce emissions, but to actively take carbon out of the atmosphere. This is known as CDR, or Carbon Dioxide Removal. The best machines to take CO2 out of the atmosphere are trees. Using renewable biomass for biochar has the potential to be the single biggest driver of CDR. The trees take the carbon out of the atmosphere, and biochar prevents it ever going back into the atmosphere.
With our top-of-the-range machines, we perform a tried and tested methodology, and it is highly scalable. Biochar production preserves the carbon dioxide captured by the trees and also improves local air quality as the biomass no longer needs to be burned.
There are billions of tonnes of biomass in the world which are currently releasing their carbon back into the atmosphere at the end of their lifetime. Through our efforts we can take this carbon out of circulation. Biochar can help save the world! We really believe this.
B10 is a start-up, but is managed by a highly experienced team. That is another way of saying we are all a bit old (apart from Sam!).
As a team of friends and family, we enjoy working with each other. Importantly, we have created a team with a complementary set of skills and diverse strengths.
We are not a charity and we intend to build a profitable business. But our main motivation is to build a business that is making a real difference. We are fortunate to be in a position, after long careers, that we can self-finance this project. We are not beholden to anyone other than ourselves. It is not a vanity project. If successful, the business can be something that offers employment opportunities where they are most needed. But whatever happens, we will be doing our bit to improve the lives of the next generation.
In any business, one of the most important elements is trust. In the biochar business, trust is everything. There have been too many examples of greenwashing which have damaged the reputation of our industry. We will hold ourselves to the highest standards and we expect you, our partners, to demand these standards as well.
Biochar is an ancient product whose time has come. B10 will be at the forefront of this revolution.