Converting Food Waste into Biochar Could Cut Annual CO₂ Emissions by 93,000 Tonnes by 2030
May 14, 2025 – New research from the University of Nottingham reveals that converting food waste into biochar – a stable form of carbon – could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 93,000 tonnes annually by 2030. The study shows that turning food waste, a by-product of biogas production, into biochar is a low-cost and sustainable solution with significant climate benefits.
According to the findings, each tonne of biochar can capture up to 1.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. When combined with anaerobic digestion plants, the cost of carbon removal can be kept below £100 per tonne, making it an affordable carbon capture option.
To process 50 percent of the UK’s projected food waste by 2030, the researchers estimate that 28 biochar production facilities – each with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year – will be required.
The research was published earlier this year in the journal Biochar, under the title ‘Biowaste to Biochar: A Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Assessment of Biochar Production from Food-Waste Digestate and Its Agricultural Field Application.’
More information is available at the University of Nottingham>
