MASH Makes Biochar SPV 01

The MASH Makes SPV 01 converts waste agricultural residues, specifically cashew shell press cake, into high-quality biochar and energy co-products in Udupi, Karnataka, India. Working with the local community, the project channels the biochar into approved end uses (soil and materials) to create long-term carbon storage aligned with the Global Biochar C-Sink Standard. Over its first five years, the project estimates about 74,190 tCO₂e sequestered in total, or roughly 16,196 tCO₂e per year. Without this activity, the cashew shell residues would not form a durable carbon sink.

At its core, the project operates four pyrolysis reactors that convert cashew shell press cake into biochar. It replaces a high-emissions baseline in which this waste is trucked long distances to polluting brick and ceramic kilns and burned in uncontrolled conditions; by contrast, the project sources locally with transport under 2 kilometers. The biochar is certified under the European Biochar Certificate (EBC) Biochar Certification standard, and end-to-end tracking is implemented through Carbonfuture’s MRV+ digital measurement, reporting, and verification system with scannable labels for each batch and unit.

The production setup is an intermediate-rate pyrolysis unit planned for about 7,920 operating hours per year, processing roughly 25,000t of feedstock to produce about 7,000t of biochar at nominal capacity. Waste pyrolysis gas is already used for process heat, and the project plans to utilize the remaining gas in a power-generation engine to take the reactor off grid. The biochar is currently sold to NGOs and farmers in India for applications such as soil amendment.

Beyond carbon storage, the project aims to improve soil quality by marketing biochar for agronomic benefits, including better soil pH balance, improved water retention, and enhanced nutrient holding capacity. The project developer is an Indo-Danish company specialized in applying thermochemical conversion of agricultural residues into energy carriers and biochar, using containerized, modular systems designed for local deployment, scalable output, and autonomous operation near biomass supplies.