Abstract
Effectiveness Assessment of Applying Agricultural Bio-char to Reduce Soil Carbon Emission, to Promote Carbon Sequestration, and to Improve the EnvironmentThe objectives of this study and their methods are as follows: (1) bio-char classification and suggested practices: primarily on bio-char production from the commodity waste across Taiwan, we integrate the experimental implications of applying bio-char on crop production and environmental effects from each local District Agricultural Research and Extension Station Council of Agriculture. In addition, bio-char material, charring conditions, characteristic analysis and metric standards will be concerned while classifying bio-char qualities and suggesting practices for national agricultural applications, promotions, and references. (2) Implications of applying bio-char on greenhouse gas effect: choose 2-3 types of bio-char for crop field experiments, regularly monitor the emission of CH4 and N2O in bio-char applied and non-applied fields, compare the difference between two treatments, and study whether bio-char application is related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission. (3) Incubation tests to estimate the rate of biochar decomposition in soil and to estimate its benefits to soil carbon sink. (4) Implications of applying bio-char on soil microbial ecology: choose 2 types of bio-char for crop field experiments and regularly monitor the microbial types and biomass to study the implications of applying bio-char on soil microbial ecology. Finally, assess the implications and feasibility of applying bio-char on soil biodiversity.
Establishment of Biochar Materials Supply and Application Management PlatformThe project plans to construct a management platform for biochar materials supply and application. From resources distribution, raw materials processing, processing situation, to the end-use, through collection, aggregation, analysis, and calculation of GIS data of agricultural land and forest land, obtains the various biochar materials production, recycling, use and access, then constructs control process flows, adjusts the production forecast and remnant material distribution. Hope to deduce adequate dynamic material supply and recycling chain, and presenting the complete distribution of various types of agricultural resources and waste materials in Taiwan, which will be the basic information of policies of recycling economy, waste recycling, and related researches, and achieve the goal of zero-waste, i.e. the whole cycle. Further, the biochar knowledge sharing platform will be established to increase the practice and application of the biochar materials reuse.
This 4-year project will achieve the establishment of the biochar materials recycling knowledge sharing platform, database of domestic biochar materials supply and supply potential of biochar materials, the establishment of the decision supporting system of biochar materials supply, which bases on the dynamic distribution database of agricultural and forestry resources, and biochar materials supply and application management platform. This year, we plan to establish a dynamic model of biochar supply chain, update the GIS data of agricultural land and spatial distribution analysis, expand and optimize the biochar materials supply and application management platform.
Research and Development for Forest Materials, Wood &Bamboo Charcoals MultiuseIn recent years, thanks to the awareness increased on energy saving and carbon reducing, it is being paid more attention how to further enhance the using of recyclable and decomposable materials. Because bamboo is the significant material possessed environmental friendly characteristics, regardless on bamboo products or on processing procedures, bamboo residues always has highly potential to economic development. Additionally, it has been over than 10 years that bamboo charcoal appeared on the market in Taiwan and also has built own bamboo charcoal industry. However, the development of related products has emerged a decreased trend. To keep research and develop innovative products applying the significant multi-function of bamboo charcoal, this study is planning to do basic researches on the characteristics of bamboo residues, particularly, the materials from bamboo processing procedures, and create diversity products at the same time. This study includes three projects as following: 1. Extending application using bamboo residues combined with bioagents, fertilizers and other cultivation substrates, to develop bamboo charcoal board with steady property on horticulture materials. And to replace expensive and highly dependent imported horticulture materials, using carbonized bamboo pellets to be soil media will be developed; 2. Analyzing the carbon sequestration effects on forest lands and its surrounding environment after forest lands were mixed different rates bamboo charcoals; 3. Developing green medium formula for urban forest and to commercialize, to apply on urban forest soil improvement and improve tree disease resistance, and to provide application development of urban forest health management. The integrated goals of this study are to strengthen the effects of bamboo residues actively reuse, to increase utilization of domestic bamboo, to promote bamboo forest management efficiency, and to enhance value-added of bamboo products and its market competitiveness.
Using biochar as a microbial carrier to form a water retainers and the environmental safety evaluation of the biochar productsThe purpose of the project is to establish the environmental toxicological safety evaluation platform for local biochar products. The goal is to complete at least 2 safety evaluation of local biochar products every year, including harmful substance disclosure and preparation of safety inspection reports for non-target organism, to ensure the products safety.Also, to explore the difference between end products from different preparation conditions, such as different material source, burning temperature, and burning equipment, in order to find the best preparation method. In addition, to help the authority organization to set up the administration regulation or guidelines for biochar product industry to follow. The study results can be used to assure the biochar products safety, increase the usage efficiency of agricultural waste, achieve the sustainable development of environment and to realize the goal of building low carbon green energy.
Development and Application of Biomass Thermal Energy and Carbonization Technology and Biomass Material InventoryThis project carries out (1) evaluation and application of the control effect of biomass pyrolysis products (bamboo vinegar) on small pests in facility vegetables: screening and promotion of materials with control benefits to reduce the problem of agricultural waste treatment and develop sustainable agriculture; (2) cultivation of biochar applied to green stalk cabbage, citrus and corn: screening of biochar ratios suitable for improving soil physical, chemical and biological properties to make agricultural wastes resourced; and (3 Improvement of biomass thermal energy absorption chiller: improve the cooling efficiency of the absorption chiller, which can be used in greenhouse cooling to solve the problem of tight power supply and save electricity in summer.
Environmentally friendly disease-control practices by supplement of biochar at flooding periods before plantingThe objective of this plan is offering the widely used of biocarbon in farm land and increasing recycling use of agricultural waste. We will conduct a series of farm test by supplement mass of biocarbon at flooding periods before planting. This environmentally friendly disease-control practices is aim to reduce the disease occurrence and pesticide use.
Development on biochar complex and applications1. It attracted peoples' eye to converse of biomass wastes into biochar for dealing with waste disposal techniques. Its alkalization property has been proposed as an important factor in determining the rate of biochar. 2. Future research would focus on the following aspects: development of a biochar complex and the environmental risk of biochar to the agricultural ecosystem. The study could provide a reference on applications and promotion of biochar technology Development and Application of Biochar for Agricultural Organic WasteTo assess the impact of bio-carbon environment and ecology, to propose supporting mechanisms and to achieve improved soil effects. To assess Biochar Threshold for Acid Soil. Investing in relevant research will help to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The use of biochar in acid and barren soils is expected to increase yield by more than 10%.
Research and Application of Crop Residue Biochar in Kaohsiung/Pingtong areaWe produce about 4.60 to 5.19 million tons of agricultural waste each year in Taiwan. These wastes are rich in organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and trace minerals. Agricultural materials are not effectively reuse because of the farmers’ casual disposal in the past. The biochar technology not only can increase the proportion of agricultural waste recycling, but also can reduce the release of carbon emissions. And also because of the application of biochar, it can increase the permanent carbon storage, enhance the physical and chemical properties of soil, and reduce production cost. The biochar can also be renewable energy and environmental material. Kaohsiung/Pingtong area is an important producing area of tropical fruit trees. Most of these fruit trees need to be pruned after harvest. However, the large number of foliage debris, often treated by open burning or part of the crushing and burying, easy to cause air pollution and CO2 emission to the atmosphere after decomposition. In order to take into account the agricultural and environmental protection, we hope the waste of fruit branches can be crushed after the appropriate carbonization treatment, and return to the farmland re-use. It can increase the soil carbon storage while reducing CO2 emission to the atmosphere, to achieve carbon sequestration and soil improvement. However, the carbon content of various crop residues and their characteristics vary widely. How to effectively apply the biochar made from different plant residues depends on the systematic classification of plant residue characteristics and the optimal firing conditions.
Production and utilization of wentan pomelo residue biohcar and rice hull biochar in Hualien areaBiochar technique is an important sector of circular economy. Rare data of biochar applications are well acquired, such as soil modifier and culture medium.In general, the application rate of biochar around 2% is harmless and causing benefit probably. In this research, the biochar field trial will be test in wentan pomelo orchard, where the soil is acid, clay and poor drainage. The pomelo farmer’s benefit are expected. The modified continuing type biochar maker will be evaluated by trial production. Furthermore, if the technique of rice hull biochar mass production contact with the culture medium industry, the medium import will be reduced 20% in the future.
Application Agricultural Waste of Carbon Sequestration in TaitungBiochar has a thin, spongy structure, and it is produced by the pyrolysis of organic materials such as wood and tree leaves. It is able to improve the physical and chemical properties of soil. It has a high degree of porosity, a large specific surface area, and a substantial number of pores. Moreover, these pores are small, allowing for better balanced retention, release, and distribution of nutrients into the soil, which in turn is beneficial to crops. The purpose of this project is to process dead sugar apple trees into biochar through pyrolysis. The high temperatures attained during the process eliminate any diseases or pests within the trees, and the resulting biochar will be used to nourish the soil. This biochar will be applied to the soil of living sugar apple trees once they are trimmed. Differing proportions of the biochar will be used in different areas, and observation of its effects on growth of the trees will be carried out. Moreover, comparisons of output and loss proportions will be carried out between the treated fields and fields in which the biochar is not used. Furthermore, surveys on the changes in physical properties of the soil and analysis on tree nutrition will be done. In this way, we will work toward the establishment of the use of biochar as a foundational element for the agricultural environment and sustainable development.
Study on the development and industrial value of biochar which made by used media of mushroomThe basic components analysis, physical and chemical characteristics analysis of the waste medium of Pleurotus eryngii were carried out, and the ratio of biochar as a compost additive, soil amendment and medium additive was tested.Using biochar technology to improve the recycling efficiency of the waste media of the mushroom, it took 6 months to produce the compost in foretime. At present, in Taichung City more than 100 million bags of discarded media were produced each year, and it accumulates continuously. If carbonization is carried out, the accumulation can be reduced for more than 6 months, the volume and weight can be reduced by 20-40%, and the local accumulation can be reduced.The effect of adding biochar material to the growth media of the vegetable and flower seedlings will also be tested.Vegetable nursery medium and crop cultivation medium mixed with biochar, can reduce the use of nursery peatmoss and cultivation medium up to 2-5%.Application of biochar as compost additives and soil amendments can improve soil physical and chemical properties and crop yields.The project will set a good cooperation between research institutions and local industries, and though horizontal contacts and technical exchanges, we hope to create a "cradle to cradle" cycle for local mushroom producers, mushroom waste recycling industry and seedling production industry.
An Integration Plan for Biochar Supply Sources and Production---Agriculture and forestry Residual Resource Reutilization Supply Chain Construction –North AreaThe purpose of this program is to promote the recycling of surplus agroforestry materials, to assist operators in planning the possibility of micro-industry through the application of benefit assessment, high value system planning and design for high value of Biochar. In addition, the construction of bio-carbon industry chain media platform, mentoring Northern manufacturers, to promote the purchase of recycling economy industry model to further assist the willing operators to invest in the bio-carbon industry, and the establishment of bio-carbon or circular economy North demonstration field.---Biochar planting material mix for greenery planting holes application and commercializationThis research aims to study the impact of biochar planting material mix on common urban summer greenery plants growth and their disease resistance ability, by comparing different biochar planting material mixes. In addition, this research will study the impact of biochar on urban greenery plants and their soil microbes in greenery planting holes application, through a year-long monitor and microbial structure analysis. By gaining information among biochar and microbe interactions, we plan to screen and develop a product that suits for future urban greenery plating application and commercialization optimization. Finally, in order to elevate the efficacy of greenery planting, this research will establish one microbial impact evaluation model, for future biochar application standard operation usage.---Agriculture and Agroforestry Residual Resource Reutilization Supply Chain ConstructionIn order to develop the circular economics of agroforestry residual resource reutilization, the key work is to construct the business model of agroforestry derivative products base on local marketing. Constructing the specific marketing mode of local different industries achieves the less transportation cost and the maximum benefit. Counseling multiple agroforestry residual resource reutilization to solve rural problems.
The counseling program of surplus bamboo reutilize to mushroom cultivation will be continued. Further assist the bamboo farmers to build surplus bamboo pretreatment system, and process the surplus bamboo to meet the requirements of mushroom cultivation. The profit model of the surplus bamboo will be analyzed, the analysis considers the equipment investment, maintenance cost and transportation cost, and calculates the payback period based on the actual income, which is helping investors making judgment and increase investment.
Three promotion briefing workshops will be holded this year. In the workshop will provide the information of counseling services, surplus materials reutilize experience sharing and finished product display. For the famer who are accepting technical couunseling, we will provide profit model analise by calculating the amoung of surplus materials and local demand, and assist to design production system. The annual plan target is counseling a demonstration field reuitilize the surplus materials.
Biochar products innovation value-added application and utilizations benefit evaluationThe project is scheduled to achieve the goal:(I) High-value biochar manufacturing process and reorganization of agricultural and forestry surplus materials in South Taiwan. Establish a repository of surplus forestry materials (fruit trees) in the southern region to set up a demonstration production center for the biochar manufacturing industry.(2) The fertility release flux and its benefits of the biochar composite modified slow release fertilizer reused in the mushroom package waste.(3) A pilot-type continuous feed multi-hearth furnace to prepare a large number of biochar technology development plans. The developed biochar technology can carbonize woody biomass under atmospheric pressure and anoxic environment. The final product is solid biochar. It can be applied to agricultural soils and environmental protection, and has carbon sequestration.(4) Assessment of the application of biochar in urban forest soils will improve the state of urban environmental forest soils with biochar to assess the benefits of greening sustainable urban development.
(5) The application of biochar in the improvement of aquaculture environment will analyze which pyrolysis temperature biochar is most suitable for the improvement of water quality and sediment quality in aquaculture.(6) Organizing the Biochar Development Association to promote the application of research results in the industry, and provide manufacturers or users with information on biochar products. It will become a platform for future industrial promotion and carbon product certification, and promote the industrialization of agricultural science and technology research and development results to achieve the goal of assisting the recycling of agricultural and forestry materials.