MitiChar
Mitigation of climate impacts from plant production with biochar from straw and biogas digestates
PROJECT INFO:
| DURATION: 2022-2025 |
|
| FUNDING: The Mission Partnership |
|
|
PARTNERS: |
CHALLENGE
High N₂O emissions from plant production
TECHNOLOGY
Biochar from straw and digestates to reduce emissions
POTENTIAL
Cuts emissions while improving soil health and carbon storage
Goal
The aim of MitiChar is to explore the potential of biochar to mitigate climate impacts of plant production.
Agricultural plant production emits large amounts of N2O, a greenhouse gas 300 times stronger than CO2. Mitichar aims to identify mechanisms that allow biochar to reduce N2O emissions and optimise them. Furthermore, the ability of biochar to store carbon and improve soil health will be examined. Mitichar will also investigate barriers to biochar implementation.
Plan
Biochar pellets will be produced from mixtures of straw and biogas digestates at various temperatures and their energy balance calculated.
Through field experiments, the project will test the biochar’s stability, effects on soil physical properties and ability to reduce N2O emissions.
Barriers to wider biochar implementation and incentive structures will also be analysed through a farmer survey and investigations of legislation and regulations.
Expected results
The project will produce knowledge about biochar production, process optimisation, N2O-reducing properties, barriers to implementation and incentives for widespread use.
The project has potential to create an export market for pyrolysis units and knowhow on logistics, trade, use and application of biochar.
Full-scale implementation of biochar from straw and biogas digestate could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Danish agriculture by 38%. This should be fully implemented by 2030.
PARTNERS:
Reach out to learn more about your funding opportunities:
Looking for funding opportunities for your innovation project?
The project is part of the Mission Partnership, and the funding is provided by Innovation Fund Denmark.
We continuously open new calls and programmes that support innovation within food and bioresources.
Mette Kallestrup Spring
Explore our other innovation collaborations
Unlocking value from food waste
Converting food waste into high-value products through modular biorefining
From walnut shells to circular materials
Developing bio-based composites from underutilized food industry side streams
Smart monitoring for CIP
Developing AI-powered monitoring for industrial cleaning processes
Naturlig resistens mod svampesygdomme
Robuste afgrøder med lavere pesticidforbrug og højere klimaresiliens
Green Chemistry for Sun Care
Developing bio-based ingredients for the next generation of sun care products
Mindre kemi i vinproduktionen
Udvikling af biologiske alternativer til kemisk sygdomsbekæmpelse i vinmarker
Tempeh af sidestrømme
Opgradering af camelina-pressekager til plantebaserede fødevarer gennem fermentering
Biostimulant fra dansk jord
Opskalering af en ny biostimulant til bæredygtig kornproduktion
Kritiske metaller i kredsløb
Udvikling af en biologisk løsning til genanvendelse af metaller fra elbilbatterier
Data til grøn omstilling
Digital platform skal styre og dokumentere effekten af biologiske virkemidler
Digital jordvurdering uden fysiske prøver
AI og satellitdata til skalerbar jordkortlægning
Cashewrestprodukt mod kartoffelskimmel
Et nyt biobaseret alternativ til pesticider
Precision Laser Weeding
Validation of co₂ reduction potential through precision laser weeding in Danish crop production
RNA som ny fødevarekomponent
Kaskadeudnyttelse af sidestrømme fra mælkepulverproduktion
Turning Whey into Value
Dairy side streams as ingredients for sustainable cleaning
Green BioAcids
Biologisk opgradering af sidestrømme fra fødevareindustrien til organiske syrer
AQRIFood – Phase I
Advancing the quality of plant-based raw materials and ingredients for food applications – Phase I: Raw materials and derived ingredients
Climate-friendly plant biologicals
Developing novel methods for assessing the impact of plant biologicals on crop productivity, climate, environment, and biodiversity
MuscleFuel
Enhancing Growth and Performance of Cultivated Muscle Cells through Targeted Hydrolysis
GrassProtein
Increasing the protein yield of perennial forage crops and improving biorefining efficiency to produce bioeconomically sustainable livestock feed
MYCOFLAVOR
Bioflavoring brewer’s spent grain by edible mushroom mycelium in solid-state fermentations
Nudge2Green
Understanding and impacting consumer behavior towards food sustainability
ClimateReach
Grass-based dairy systems optimizing climate and environmental footprint along the whole feed chain
FarmCH4Track
Farm methane emission reduction through sensor-based digital innovation