Green State Biochar Rises to the Challenge

An interview with Donna Pion, General Manager

How did you get started with biochar?

Roger, my husband, and his friend Luke were looking for a new venture, not to make money so much as to do something good and meaningful. They came across biochar – this was about four years ago – and I started researching it. Meanwhile, before I got done learning about it, they had built a biochar kiln, because that is what they do. Luke is really good at inventing and making things from junkyard parts. Our continuous kiln can make 350 pounds of biochar in an eight-hour day. Biochar is a great project for the do-it-yourselfers.

What are you doing with the biochar product?

The problem we most wanted to solve is the state of our lakes here in Vermont. Phosphorous from dairies and other sources is causing terrible algal blooms. I started working on a business plan and the first step was to enter the Vermont Phosphorus Innovation Challenge – VPIC. This was a competitive grant and we were chosen as a finalist. The first part of the grant supported field trials using our phosphorus capture systems at dairies to process manure pit liquids. Our filters can remove 90 percent of the phosphorus. The final phase of the grant will let us build two newer, bigger pyrolysis machines than will quadruple our production capacity. And it will fund a market study for the phosphorus-enriched biochar product. We can sell it as a fertilizer, either in a loose or a pelleted form. 

What's next for Green State Biochar?

One thing that is going to really help is to have Vermont write our filtration systems into their Best Management Practices (BMPs) for phosphorus capture. Once we have that, the state will help farmers install the filter units, paying 90% of the cost. We have bigger plans too – I am working on proposals right now to demonstrate a different style of biochar filter for cleaning up Lake Champlain.

We had a venture capitalist interview us and he asked us if we wanted to make biochar or if we wanted to make and sell biochar kilns. We want to do both! We will see where it all goes, but for me, as general manager, I am most passionate about creating good jobs. People need to have good work doing something meaningful with the local resources. I feel if we can make it work here in Vermont, you can replicate this anywhere there are forest products and dairies or other livestock. We can integrate these things to create stronger local economies and cleaner water.

For more information about Green State Biochar, visit their website.