Colors is an innovative agri-business in South Africa that came to us seeking a consulting partner to help them develop and implement a plan to utilize biochar across their operation, as a means to both increase productivity and reduce their carbon footprint of their main products, apples, pears, plums and grapes.

We are currently collaborating with them to conduct a comprehensive, multi-year trial within one of their fruit orchards at their Theewaterskloof farm. The trial is designed to gauge both the agricultural response to biochar, with their soil, growing conditions and crops, as well as the financial viability of implementing biochar across their entire supply base.

We are conducting an extensive array of soil and leaf analyses to help determine the effectiveness of biochar to increase productivity and further refine our approach. At the same time, the fruit quality and productivity of the plots that include biochar is being carefully measured and compared to plots without biochar at harvest time in order to accurately evaluate the financial impacts.

There are many variables at play within this trial, including the biochar production method, the specific biochar formulation, the application method and rate of application. The trial is designed to help us pinpoint the most effective combination of these parameters, and thereby reveal the most viable way forward.

A Hong Kong company has approached us to help them implement a planned organic cotton project in the northern Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang (shin-jahng). A critical component of the plan is the provision of low-cost biochar production equipment that can also maximize the yield of condensable tars and vinegar for the production of bio-pesticides.

We have designed and patented a novel, efficient pyrolysis unit that can produce the significant quantities of biochar and condensables needed at a low capital and operating cost. A prototype is currently being built, and as the design is refined and perfected, we plan to offer the CarbonZero biochar kiln for sale worldwide to facilitate the economic production of high quality biochar at commercial scale.