Bio-Char Production Conversation

From Biomass to Biochar, Sequestering Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Credits

We started a conversation with an Ai agent on converting biomass to biochar which led down an interesting path, eventually leading to the Carbonity plant in Quebec which is the largest biochar production facility in North America.  The project is, “financially supported by the Quebec and Canadian governments, will help sequester 75,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year when fully operational. The biochar production will be supported by the issuance of guaranteed, certified carbon credits that will be sold on the voluntary market by First Climate, one of the world’s leading providers of carbon management and green energy services to businesses and the public sector.”

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The Story of Cantimber Biotech in Port Alberni

This is a story, with some lessons, about setting up a biotech company on Vancouver Island focused on using logging waste to create a carbon product, activated carbon in this case. The story starts in 2015 and ends in 2018 in Port Alberni. The core of the problem were complaints by nearby residents on the air quality from the emissions of the plant. Initially the company blamed a cracked valve in the wet scrubber that was supposed introduce a water mist to remove pollutants from the exhaust gas. An independent consulting group were brought in and a series of recommendations were made in a 146 page report. Ultimately the company couldn’t meet the recommendations to the satisfaction of the Port Alberni Port Authority and on May 31st, 2018 their license to operate was terminated.

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Zentek – ZEN.V

Zentek, formerly Zen Graphene, describe themselves as an “IP development and commercialization company that uses expertise in nanomaterials and strategic partnerships to uncover new possibilities in healthcare”. Their flagship product is a mask treated with a graphene coating called ZenGUARD purported to have “99%+ proven filtration of viruses and bacteria.” Mark’s, the Canadian clothing store chain, will be carrying the masks.

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