Biochar’s triple win: Healthier soils, improved crops, and decarbonization

Biochar — produced by heating organic matter in low-oxygen conditions (pyrolysis) — is gaining traction as both a carbon removal tool and a soil health solution. The market hit $1.7B in 2023 and is growing at 13%+ annually. The Cisco Foundation's Regenerative Future Fund backs two early-stage companies: Applied Carbon (US), which converts corn stover, wheat straw, and sugarcane waste into biochar, and Poas Bioenergy (Costa Rica), which processes wet tropical residues like coffee and pineapple waste. Both use decentralized, modular pyrolysis systems that operate on-site at farms, reducing logistics costs and making biochar accessible to smallholder farmers. Biochar accounts for roughly 90% of all durable carbon removal credits and offers co-benefits including improved water retention, higher crop yields, and reduced methane emissions from agricultural waste.