Wakefield Biochar: Our customer's story

In the past years, global greenhouse gas emissions added to the atmosphere amounted to fifty-one billion tons per year. Boardrooms around the world discuss the paths to address the climate emergency and businesses head towards net-zero emissions by changing policy and rolling out new, break-through solutions to reduce industry carbon footprint. The emergence of new technologies and green products is accelerating, and the results are vital tools to mitigate climate change. In this series, we introduce our industry partners whose voices stand out and who are affecting global change. Their inspiring stories and testimonials show the impactful progress they are making to tackle the global climate crisis and how they are leaders in steering industry towards carbon neutrality.

Customer-oriented, sustainable biochar business

Wakefield Biochar, a family business of twin brothers Tom and Tony Marrero who were inspired by the vision of their father, Thomas Marrero, was launched in 2014.  The idea of basing a business on biochar came from research conducted at Mizzou by Tom Marrero (PhD in chemistry) and his father. Together, the family had a vision of creating new commodities that would contribute positively to the environment and society. Combining their love of green farming and environmental stewardship, they embarked on a journey to produce premium biochar soil amendment for retail markets.

 “Biochar is not a new product. It is actually a solution for great soil health that has been forgotten over the years. With a gentle nudge, we are happy to help remind the world of its benefits.”, says Tony Marrero, who focuses on commercial activities at Wakefield. The company started selling small amounts of biochar soil conditioner in a small shed in Columbia, Missouri. Initial orders were sold in local retail outlets and on Amazon where positive reviews and 4- and 5-star ratings drove sales and pushed Wakefield to expand production and supply chain. 

Today, Wakefield soil conditioners and products are available at some of the nation’s largest home and garden outlets. “It was a big deal to be able to sell just a couple of bags here and there, and then people started giving good reviews and it started to build,” says Tom Marrero. “Now when we talk about "Wakefield" the conversation quickly becomes about our customers. Wakefield Biochar as a company has the same ideals as you most likely subscribe. Essentially, Wakefield products are for someone who cares about the world and the people that make it great.” At its heart, Wakefield remains a company passionate about growing things in a better way and helping others to do the same.  They captivate customers by placing emphasis on growing beautiful gardens and making world a better place; symbolized in their slogan: Better Soil. Better World.

Better soil. Better world.

Biochar differs from other biomass derived charcoals. Typical biomass charcoals are produced at lower temperature, are typically used as solid fuel, and generally contain higher percentage of volatile matter and lower percentage fixed carbon compared to biochar.  Biochar is produced through higher temperature thermochemical conversion of biomass in an oxygen free environment (pyrolysis). During this high temperature process, the chemical structure of the biomass is altered and hydrogen, nitrogen and organic carbon are converted into synthesis gas (syngas). The resulting biochar has high fixed carbon content and a very porous physical structure: a property exploited to retain water and adsorb nutrients when combined with soil.  “Biochar checks all the boxes for sustainable practices: it brings social benefits by reducing waste and improving the soil in communities; creates economical value by improving productivity of our agriculture; and offers strong environmental impact both by reducing the need of chemical fertilizers and performing as a carbon sink,” says Tom Marrero.  Biochar also offers promising potential as a functional material, substitute for activated carbon, and as an additive to animal feed, litter, and bedding.

The US biochar market was valued at USD 97.8 million in 2019 and is anticipated to experience a revenue-based CAGR of 18.6% from 2020 to 2027. Adoption of organic farming is a key driver for the rise in the biochar demand globally. North America occupies the highest market share, at nearly 50%, which is expected to increase rapidly.

Connected by passion for decarbonizing industry

Wakefield Biochar first encountered ETIA, subsidiary of Vow, early in 2017 and it was clear from the very first exchanges that the two companies shared core values.  Vow develops and delivers world leading solutions to end waste and help industries decarbonize with the encompassing goal of making the world a cleaner and better place.  Vow, through subsidiary Scanship, has long been a world leader in waste handling and wastewater purification for the cruise industry with the mantra “for Cleaner Oceans”. Vow’s land-based solutions revolve around several technologies for waste treatment and valorization which enable industry partners to reduce CO₂ emissions and produce valuable solid products from waste material.  One of these solutions is the Biogreen® pyrolysis process developed and perfected by ETIA for converting waste into value as biochar and climate friendly energy.

State-of-the-art technology

The patented Biogreen® technology is the core of Vow’s robust, reliable and cost-efficient pyrolysis process. Biogreen® is uniquely designed to enable precise control of process conditions by allowing the operator to tailor both the process time and temperature – two essential pyrolysis parameters.  This precision makes it possible to optimize the process outputs in terms of quantity and quality of both biochar and syngas. The Biogreen® design utilizes a patented shaftless auger heated by the Joule effect (Spirajoule®) to directly transfer heat to the product within the reactor. This design ensures that thermal treatment of each individual particle is consistent.  These features make Biogreen® a solution that guarantees dependable, quality outputs and is easily adapted to different feedstocks or process goals. “Wakefield sees the Biogreen technology as a way to grow our company across the United States (and beyond) using proven equipment that has the ability to adapt to our customer needs.”, says Tom Marrero.

High climate impact solution

Vow’s Biogreen® is a strongly CO2 negative solution and single line production facility can achieve up to 8,000 tons per year of CO2 emission avoidance. This emission reduction potential is highly sought after by companies around the world looking for innovative ways to stay competitive in the changing climate. Large industrial actors are betting on biochar as a method for carbon drawdown and removal from the atmosphere. Carbon-sink and CO2 markets are emerging and expanding making carbon trading and direct investment in biochar producers more streamlined than ever. Technology behemoths such as Microsoft, Shopify and Stripe are leading the way in gobbling up available carbon currency making it more lucrative than ever to be in the business of decarbonizing and helping industry to do the same. 

Biochar is recognized by the IPCC as a promising negative emission technology (NET) and one of the few that is ready for scale-up and implementation today. When biomass naturally degrades or is burned, significant amounts of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere which in-turn, contribute to the worsening climate crisis. Pyrolysis of biomass on the other hand, captures a significant portion of biomass carbon in a very stable form: biochar.  Biochar remains stable in soil for hundreds, if not thousands, of years and it is reasonably expected that 1 ton of biochar sequesters the carbon equivalent of 2.5 tons CO2 that would otherwise enter the atmosphere. When biochar is added to soil, the cycle that started with the seedling germinating and pulling its first molecule of CO2 from the air, is completed. This complete cycle, which is core to Wakefield’s vision, is how carbon in the form of biochar is sequestered in the ground while also improving soil health, water retention and nutrient adsorption. 

First step towards the industrial biochar production

Several years since establishing their business, the Wakefield brothers are taking their business to the next level by developing a state-of-the-art pyrolysis facility in Valdosta, GA where they will produce industrial quantities of biochar using Vow’s Biogreen® process. The system will transform waste woody biomass into high-quality biochar thus contributing to Wakefield’s Advanced Materials and Soil Health divisions, which are addressing the fast-growing market for premium biochar in the ever more environmentally concerned US market. “The agreement demonstrates the high relevance of Vow technologies for the biochar market and marks a breakthrough and an important step to rolling out Biogreen solutions in North America. It is testament to Vow’s ability to deliver advanced technology in industry-scale solutions, and our commitment to support companies in their efforts to decarbonise,” said Vow’s CEO, Mr. Henrik Badin.

The turn-key system that Vow will deliver will include drying equipment, Biogreen® process for biochar production, and conversion of CO2 neutral syngas into energy dedicated for the biomass drying. The solution will be the first of multiple units that Wakefield plans to install in Valdosta to realize their “Better Soil. Better World” vision. For Wakefield Biochar, production in Valdosta will become a platform to extend their strategy of manufacturing green commodities and creating a climate positive change in United States.

Vow is also working closely with Wakefield Biochar on several other ambitious project opportunities that will transform waste streams from large industrial processes into energy and biochar. Keep an eye out for more exciting news.