Biochar has been used commercially in stormwater management in the US for more than ten years to bring public and private storm water management systems into compliance with regulatory permits. Use has grown as more trials are being conducted and biochar’s benefits and value proposition are better understood. Stormwater management applications include ponds, streams, erosion control and reduction of runoff from impervious surfaces (e.g., roads, parking lots, etc.)

One of the most publicized projects is from Stockholm, Sweden where biochar is used extensively since initially being piloted in 2009 to reduce runoff and revitalize tree plantings. In the US, Minnesota has published specifications for biochar use in stormwater management and the City of Minneapolis has begun instituting city wide programs after visiting Stockholm and learning from the project managers there. Other US municipalities are also exploring biochar in urban stormwater management projects.

Biochar can be a cost-effective filtration solution where organic and inorganic substances, as well as some microbial constituents, need to be removed. Research and experience have proven biochar to be useful in a variety of stormwater management applications as a filtration and water treatment media. It is also used in soil restoration and remediation, constructed wetlands, green roofs, and water treatment. Increasingly, biochar is used in applications where activated carbon (AC) has traditionally been used such as water or gaseous filtration. Where activated carbon is made from peat, coal, and organics including dense coconut shells or wood; biochar is made from organic (i.e., renewable) sources exclusively. And since biochar sequesters carbon it provides an opportunity to access carbon credits.

Speakers include;

• Harry Groot - Dovetail Partners
• Kathleen Draper - USBI Board Member - IBI Board Chair
• Charles Hegberg