Can Biochar Applications Become Commercial Opportunities? (Part 1)

Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

The Alberta Biochar Initiative (ABI) was established on December 15, 2011 to develop and demonstrate technologies that will enable the large scale commercial deployment of biochar products and applications for the benefit of Albertans. Significant progress has been made including CFIA approval for Air Terra supplied biochar as a soil supplement, and the development of value added products including activated carbons from biochar. Biochar has particular benefits including the improvement of marginal soils, the reclamation of soils damaged by human activity, and its affinity to adsorb toxic organic extractive compounds from oil sands tailings water and the potential to capture mercury from coal fired power generating stations. It also sequesters carbon when applied to the soil. Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures (AITF) has been at the forefront of biochar research efforts and continues to lead the research and networking activities of the ABI after the successful conclusion of the WD funded project in June 2015. The speaker will provide an update on biochar research and the ABI. As a supplement to this presentation, Lethbridge College is providing a tour of their Aquaponics facility, which illustrates another opportunity to make the most of carbon dioxide produced and consumed by living organisms. The tour begins at 2:00 pm at the Aquaponics facility near the College (south end) Speaker: Don Harfield, P.Eng. P.M.P. Don Harfield is the Thermochemical Processing and Special Projects Leader of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures. Don specializes in the development of thermo-chemical biomass conversion technologies which convert solid waste materials into value added products and energy. Tour Host: Dr. Nick Savidov, M. Sc., Ph. D., Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian State Agricultural University, Moscow. Research Scientist, Lethbridge College. Moderator: Duane Pendergast Date: Thursday, June 2, 2016 Time: Noon - 1:30 pm Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch) or $2.00 (includes coffee/tea) Visit the SACPA website: http://www.sacpa.ca