BioChar
BioChar Maroc
BioChar sells biochar and charcoal briquettes produced from the transformation of organic waste from greenhouse crops.
BioChar has developed two quick and inexpensive organic waste recovery systems. First, the company transforms organic waste from greenhouse crops (on farms less than 10 hectares) into biochar which is a useful biological amendment for soil regeneration that allows the retention of 50% of water and 50% of nitrogen. Secondly, they produce green coal briquettes for energy purposes.
This is an alternative to non-disseminated waste treatment systems in the villages in Agadir, in Morocco where biomass waste (mainly tomatoes and papers) is burned every year producing over 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions as over than 500 small farmers with less than 10 hectares of greenhouses do not have a landfill. Interview with representative
Video of biochar and green carbon production process by BioChar Maroc.
Morocco.
BioChar Maroc sells biochar for 1 USD/kg and charcoal briquettes for 0.5 USD. Logistics are the most costly operations for BioChar, especially when moving the raw material and transporting the final product to customers. Interview with representative
The main competitors are the coal producers and SMO Peps start-up; Coal producers make charcoal using the traditional method (by carbonization with a traditional grinding wheel). They can become potential customers of Biochar Maroc’s mobile pyrolysis furnace; SMO Peps start-up works in the pyrolysis of waste with CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) technology with a solar oven, still in the prototyping phase.
Both competitors services and products are the cogeneration of electricity and active charcoal and biochar, the co-founder contacted Biochar Maroc for a commercial partnership. Interview with representative
Target customers are: Interview with representative
-Greenhouse tomatoes and peppers producers/farmers that are looking for a way to remove excess biomass without the incineration in winter as remaining plastic twine pathogens make this biomass complex for composting. Each farmer must have 1 hectare for every 10 hectares of greenhouses to store this waste.
-Restaurants, hotels and individual cooks are the main consumers of the charcoal briquettes.
-Compost companies and farmers are target customers of biochar to use as soil amendment, improved nutrient water retention, and incubation of mycorrhizae.
