Pyrolysis is the thermo-chemical conversion of dry organic materials (i.e. woody wastes) into bio-oil, syngas, and biochar. Biochar is being promoted for its potential to improve soil properties, fertility and carbon sequestration in soil while also producing renewable energy. Research results on how this material might impact agricultural soils within temperate regions is contradictory. Validation of biochar as a beneficial soil amendment and carbon sink would add important economic value to the pyrolysis process and spur adoption. More targeted uses in the near term include improved nutrient efficiency and contaminant absorption. Studies on the use of bio-oil have also been conducted.
Featured Publications
Evaluation of Emerging Plastics: Recycling Technologies and Management Strategies (PDF)
Haghighi Mood, S., Yorgey, G., Garcia-Perez, M. 2023. Evaluation of Emerging Plastics: Recycling Technologies and Management Strategies. Solid Waste Management Program, Washington State Department of Ecology. Olympia, WA.
Technical Assessment of Potential Climate Impact and Economic Viability of Biochar Technologies for Small-Scale Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest (PDF)
Amonette, J.E., S. Schiller, and G. Yorgey. 2023. Technical Assessment of Potential Climate Impact and Economic Viability of Biochar Technologies for Small-Scale Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. Report to Stewart Holdings, LLC. Washington State University, Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, Wenatchee, WA.
Increasing the Economic Value and Sustainability of Washington’s Agriculture Sector Through Industrial Symbiosis: A Report to the Washington Legislature (PDF)
Roth, R., M.P. Wolcott, G.G. Yorgey, J.L. Male, T. Sturdevant, D. Camenzind, F. Pierobon, J. Padowski, C.E. Kruger, A Whittemore, T. Carroll, K. Jensen, S. Moddemeyer, and A. Ybarra. 2023. Increasing the Economic Value and Sustainability of Washington’s Agricultural Sector through Industrial Symbiosis: A report to the Washington Legislature. Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA.
Advancing Organics Management in Washington State: The Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership, 2019-2021 Biennium (PDF)
Jobe, J., K. Hills, J.E. Amonette, E. Bronstad, M. Garcia-Perez, T. Jobson, Y.J. Milan, D. Collins, D. Gang, X. Xiong, N. Stacey, A. Berim, A. Bary, S. Chen, W. Hoashi-Erhardt, N. Khosravi, E.A. Mhyre, S. Seefeldt, and G. Yorgey. 2022. Publication 22-07-002. Solid Waste Management Program, Washington Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA.
Biomass to Biochar: Maximizing the Carbon Value (PDF)
Amonette, J.E., J.G. Archuleta, M.R. Fuchs, K.M. Hills, G.G. Yorgey, G. Flora, J. Hunt, H.-S. Han, B.T. Jobson, T.R. Miles, D.S. Page-Dumroese, S. Thompson, K.M. Trippe, K. Wilson, R. Baltar, K. Carloni, C. Christoforou, D.P. Collins, J. Dooley, D. Drinkard, M. Garcia-Pérez, G. Glass, K. Hoffman-Krull, M. Kauffman, D.A. Laird, W. Lei, J. Miedema, J. […]
Integrated biochar research: A roadmap
James E. Amonette, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Chuck Hassebrook, David A. Laird, Rattan Lal, Johannes Lehmann and Deborah Page-Dumroese Journal of Soil and Water Conservation January 2021, 76 (1) 24A-29A; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2021.1115A
A Rapid Test for Plant-Available Water-Holding Capacity in Soil-Biochar Mixtures (PDF)
Amonette, J.E., Flury, M., Zhang, J. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 37 pp.
Biochar Production in Biomass Power Plants: Techno-Economic and Supply Chain Analyses (PDF)
Garcia-Perez, M., Brady, M., Tanzil, A.H. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 20 pp.
Using CropSyst to Evaluate Biochar as a Soil Amendment for Crops (PDF)
Stöckle, C.O., Pickering, N., Nelson, R. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 22 pp.
Production of Engineered Biochars for Phosphate Removal from Waste Lignocellulosic Materials: First, Second, and Third Generation Engineered Products (PDF)
Ayiania, M., Haghighi Mood, S., Milan, Y.J., Garcia-Perez, M. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 71 pp.
Assessment of the Local Technical Potential for CO2 Drawdown using Biochar from Forestry Residues and Waste Wood in 26 Counties of Washington State (PDF)
Amonette, J.E. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 174 pp.
Integrating Compost and Biochar for Improved Air Quality, Crop Yield, and Soil Health (PDF)
Gang, D., Collins, D., Jobson, T., Seefeldt, S., Berim, A., Stacey, N., Khosravi, N., Hoashi-Erhardt, W. 2019. A technical report completed as part of the Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership. 99 pp.
Advancing Organics Management in Washington State: The Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership 2015-2017 Biennium (PDF)
Chen, S., Frear, C., Garcia-Pérez, M., Kruger, C., Ewing, T., Jensen, J., Yorgey, G., Gang, D.R., Amonette, J., Ayiania, M., Berim, A., Botella, L., Carbajal Gamarra, F.M., Cleary, J., Dunsmoor, A., Finch, R.W., Fuchs, M., Haghighi Mood, S., Hall, S.A., Han, Y., Jobson, B.T., Long, R., Ma, J., Mainali, K., Moller, D., Neuenschwander, L., Seker, A., […]
Technology Research and Extension Related to Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Manure, 2015-2017 Biennium (PDF)
Garcia-Pérez, M., Chen, S., Kruger, C., Yorgey, G., Ai, P., Ayania, M., Dunsmoor, A., Englund, K., Ewing, T., Frear, C., Gao, A., Ghoghare, R., Hall, S.A., Jensen, J., Ma, J., Manoharan, G., Martinez, J., Nasir, A., Parlina, I., Pelaez-Samaniego, M.R., Pereira-Ferraz, G., Rajagopalan, K., Smith, M., Suliman, W., Wang, D., Yao, Y., Yu, L. 2017. […]
Soil Amendments (PDF)
Yorgey, G., W. Pan, R. Awale, S. Machado, A. Bary. 2017. Chapter 7 In Yorgey, G. and C. Kruger, eds. Advances in Dryland Production Systems in the Pacific Northwest. Washington State University Extension, Pullman, WA.
Approaches for adding value to anaerobically digested dairy fiber
Manuel Raul Pelaez-Samaniego, Rita L Hummel, Wei Liao, Jingwei Ma, Jim Jensen, Chad Kruger, and Craig Frear. 2017. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 72, 254-268.
Technology Research and Extension Related to Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Manure, 2013-2015 biennium (PDF)
Chen, S., C. Frear, M. Garcia-Perez, C. Kruger, A. Abghari, P. Ai, N. Abu-Lail, G. Astill, I. Dallmeyer, M. Flury, A. Fortuna, A. Gao, J. Garcia-Nunez, R. Ghoghare, J.B. Harsh, H. Iqbal, J. Jensen, N Kennedy, J. Ma, S. Mitchell, M. Smith, W. Suliman, D. Wang, G. Yorgey, L. Yu, Q. Zhao, S. Zhang, and […]
Advancing Organics Management in Washington State: The Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership (PDF)
Chen, S., C. Frear, M. Garcia-Perez, J. Jensen, D. Sjoding, C. Kruger, N. Abu-Lail, G. Astill, I. Dallmeyer, M. Flury, A. Fortuna, J. Garcia-Nunez, S. Hall, J.B. Harsh, H. Iqbal, N Kennedy, J. Ma, S. Mitchell, B. Pecha, R. Pelaez-Samaniego, A. Seker, M. Smith, W. Suliman, G. Yorgey, L. Yu, and Q. Zhao. 2016. Publication 16-07-008. […]
Anaerobic digestion of C1-C4 light oxygenated organic compounds derived from the torrefaction of lignocellulosic materials
Liaw, S.S., Frear, C., Lei, W., Zhang, S., Garcia-Perez, M. (2015). Fuel Processing Technology, 131: 150-158.
Bio-Oil: An Introduction to Fast Pyrolysis and its Applications
Murray, T., F. Resende, and G. Luo. 2014. WSU Fact Sheet FS140E. The United States has targeted biofuels generated from domestic biomass supplies as a significant contributor for future liquid fuel supplies. Reliance on domestic fuel production opens the door for a wide range of opportunities for natural resource managers, farmers, and other landowners who will be instrumental […]
Additional Publications
Advancing Organics Management in Washington State: The Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership 2021-2023. (PDF)
Boone, K., Garcia-Perez, M., Jobson, T., Bronstad, E., Crow, V., Hills, K., Whittemore, A. and Yorgey, G. 2023. Advancing Organics Management in Washington State: The Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership 2021-2023. Solid Waste Management Program, Washington State Department of Ecology. Olympia, WA.
Advancing Organics Management in Washington State: The Waste to Fuels Technology Partnership, 2017-2019 Biennium
Hills, K., M. Garcia-Perez, J.E. Amonette, M. Brady, T. Jobson, D. Collins, D. Gang, E. Bronstad, M. Flury, S. Seefeldt, C.O. Stöckle, M. Ayiania, A. Berim, W. Hoashi-Erhardt, N. Khosravi, S. Haghighi Mood, R. Nelson, Y.J. Milan, N. Pickering, N. Stacey, A.H. Tanzil, J. Zhang, B. Saari, and G. Yorgey. 2019. Publication 19-07-027. Solid Waste […]
Methods for Producing Biochar and Advanced Biofuels in Washington State – Part 4: Literature Review of Sustainability Issues, Business Models, and Financial Analyses (PDF)
Garcia-Perez M., J.A. Garcia-Nunez, T. Lewis, C. E. Kruger, M.R. Fuchs, G. Flora, S. Kantor 2012. Fourth Project Report. Department of Biological Systems Engineering and the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 75 pp. (publish date for WP 2/1/2013)
Dairy Waste Biorefinery (PDF)
Kennedy, N., C. Frear, M. Garcia-Perez, C. Kruger, and S. Chen. 2013. Concept illustration and description.
Organic Waste Biorefinery (PDF)
Kennedy, N., C. Frear, M. Garcia-Perez, C. Kruger, and S. Chen. 2013. Concept illustration and description.
Biochar Produced from Anaerobically Digested Fiber Reduces Phosphorus in Dairy Lagoons
Streubel, J. D., H. P. Collins, J. M. Tarara, and R. L. Cochran.; Posted online 5 Jan. 2012
The economic value of biochar in crop production and carbon sequestration
Galinato, S., J. Yoder and D. Granatstein. 2011. Energy Policy, 39(10):6344-6350.
Economic tradeoff between biochar and bio-oil production via pyrolysis
Yoder, J., S. Galinato, D. Granatstein and M. Garcia-Perez. 2011. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35(5):1851-1862.
WSU Thermo-Chemical Engineering Laboratory: Manuel Garcia-Perez
Professor Garcia-Perez is an expert in thermo-chemical engineering of biomass into energy and products. Our work with Garcia-Perez includes the development and evaluation of biochar from the pyrolysis of woody organic wastes as a potential soil amendment.
Bioenergy as an Agricultural GHG Mitigation Strategy in Washington State (PDF)
Chapter 22 in Climate Friendly Farming: Improving the Carbon Footprint of Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. Full report available at http://csanr.wsu.edu/pages/Climate_Friendly_Farming_Final_Report/.
Browse all Biochar (Pyrolysis) Publications
External Links
- eXtension
- National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) Master Publications List
- Plant and Life Sciences Publishing
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