We have designed our pyrolysis system with simplicity in mind and have made the machines very robust and easy to operate & maintain.

The basic process uses a diesel burner to get the kiln to approx. 300-400° C,  we then introduce feedstock into the kiln through an auger. The material drops into the pyrolysis zone where it is heated (cooked) until any moisture is driven off.

At this point the chemical structure of the material begins to change and gases bound up in the material start to release. Air is introduced, which mixes with the gases and combust them to produce more heat. Once we have steady state operation we can usually turn the burner off and the system is self sustaining.

The combusted gases are vented through the flue at temperatures above 500° C. We have the ability to capture this heat and use it for heating/drying applications.

The remaining fraction, biochar, is quenched with water before it exits the kiln to stop it combusting. We also have the capacity to “charge” the biochar with extra nutrients at this point.

The pyrolysis of organic material creates bioenergy and integrating biomass energy generation with biochar production is a key piece of the renewable energy solution.

The most efficient way to use bioenergy produced by the pyrolysis process is directly, in the form of heat for heating and for drying applications however, it is also possible to generate electricity.

The Energy Farmer pyrolysis unit produces approx. 1MW of thermal energy per tonne of feed input. At this stage we do not produce electricity however, we are working toward this end.

It is possible to create carbon credits using biomass to produce energy, the process is carbon negative and renewable. A crop of wheat for example, will grow and be harvested for the grain, some of the residual straw can be captured and processed to produce renewable energy. By-products like biochar, which are rich in carbon can be used to store carbon in soils and other materials.

What is important is ensure that the biomass used is from a sustainable source. A full life-cycle analysis needs to be carried out to guarantee that the environmental costs of harvesting, transport and processing is not greater than the  environmental benefit. Furthermore, any production process and products should meet all legal and environmental standards.

We have been working with farmers and farmer groups investigating new & current methods of getting carbon into the soil using biochar and emission reductions opportunities with bioenergy.