Using its uniquely assembled thermochemical platform, MASH pyrolyzes crop residue in a containerized machine that produces high-quality, EBC-certified biochar with a low oxygen content and a high fixed carbon content of 84.9%. This makes it an ideal product for permanent carbon sequestration applications such as soil enhancement and land remediation. Indeed, biochar has been proven to be a quantifiable, verifiable, and stable option for the highest quality carbon sequestration

The biochar cycle:
​The project is divided into two phases:

1) Production of biochar.

MASH will employ its unique pyrolysis machine, which enables feedstock to be efficiently heated using only residual pyro-gas from the process. The machine also has the capacity to generate 450 kW electricity and produces near ISO-compliant bio-oil, which is presently being tested and upgraded for use as a boiler and a marine fuel. Moreover, a wide variety of agricultural residues can be used as feedstock for the process, creating a plethora of potential business cases and a highly scalable business model in which every business case is deployed in the form of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

2) Use of biochar for permanent carbon sequestration.

MASH will permanently sequester carbon in the following ways:

- Biochar as a soil conditioning additive: Biochar has been proven to augment crop productivity by improving soil quality, increasing water and nutrient-retention, bettering water drainage, maintaining soil pH, removing harmful toxins, and increasing carbon content.

- Biochar as an additive to construction materials: Thanks to its extremely low thermal conductivity and its ability to absorb water up to twice its weight, biochar is the perfect material for insulating buildings and regulating humidity. In combination with lime and cement mortar, it can be used as an additive for plaster or for bricks and concrete elements at a ratio of up to 80%, resulting in interior walls with excellent insulation and breathing properties. MASH is currently studying and testing both biochar concrete and biochar bricks.

Monitoring methods:

MASH plans to use the following monitoring and verification techniques to ensure the credibility of its credits: 

- Carbonfuture’s MRV: MASH will use Carbonfuture’s MRV for the monitoring and verification of carbon removal credits.

- Annual European Biochar Certificate (EBC) audits: The quality of biochar produced will be monitored by the EBC and audited annually as part of the EBC C-sink certification. This audit will be conducted by a third-party auditor, who will monitor the production data and carbon sinks created.

- Randomized internal audits: Because MASH’s Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) are fully automated, the plants’ daily production data is readily available. On the biochar application end, randomized audits will be conducted to track the sink creation process.

Through the production and use of biochar, MASH aims to create the following triple bottom-line approach that: 

- Valorizes crop residue that would have otherwise been burnt in an uncontrolled environment. 

- Sequesters carbon in the soil for hundreds, or possibly thousands of years. 

- Improves soil quality, thereby remediating semi-arid and arid lands and converting them into future cereal/cash crop baskets essential for an increased agricultural throughput for the growing population.

By purchasing carbon removal credits from MASH’s biochar projects, you will enable MASH to replicate this state-of-art carbon removal solution and actuate the accompanying co-benefits.