The myth of easy biochar scale-up
Why buyers need to assess the whole system, not just the carbon accounting.
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Scaling biochar projects can sound simple enough. Biochar production systems are modular—designed with independent units—so in theory, adding more pyrolysers will yield more tonnes.
In practice, it rarely works that smoothly.
Real-world scaling can be messy and, importantly, non-linear. It’s where many biochar projects (even the most promising ones) stumble.
At Supercritical, we’ve seen firsthand what is actually required to scale permanent carbon removal. In biochar, the biggest blockers to scale are rarely technical or scientific. They’re buried in logistics, operations, and execution.
If you’re betting on a supplier to deliver thousands of tonnes per year (especially through offtakes), you need to look beyond the information on the registry listing. Here’s what we look at when we evaluate whether a biochar project can scale.
1. The feedstock factor
Feedstock is the first and most underestimated constraint on biochar scale.
Biochar feedstocks are the organic materials used to produce biochar via pyrolysis. The choice of feedstock significantly affects the biochar quality and properties such as its carbon content, nutrient profile, potential contaminants, and the overall climate benefit of the resulting biochar.
Common feedstocks include:
Agricultural residues (e.g., rice husks, nut shells, corn stalks)
Forestry residues (e.g., wood chips, bark, sawdust)
Urban green waste (e.g., pruned branches, untreated wood waste)
Invasive species (e.g., brush from land restoration efforts)
There are others; find a full list of eligible feedstocks from registries such as this one.
Each type of feedstock has pros and cons. Some are nutrient-rich but seasonal, while others are abundant but difficult to certify. It’s not about what feedstock a project could use, but whether they’ve locked in a sustainable, long-term supply that is certified, logistically viable, and affordable.
Look for:
Secure feedstock sourcing contracts (not just vague MOUs)
Clear feedstock aggregation and preprocessing plans
Testing for biomass feedstock moisture content and contaminants
Testing of the resulting biochar for carbon content and H:Corg ratio
Consideration of seasonality and transport risks
Certification schemes like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), used for wood-based feedstocks, are helpful, but they don’t guarantee availability. The best suppliers treat feedstock sourcing like a supply chain problem, not just a line on a spreadsheet.
2. Pyrolysers don’t scale themselves
One of the most common stumbling blocks we see is equipment issues.
Projects that rely on bespoke or first-gen machines face a much higher risk of breakdowns, delays, and throughput shortfalls. Even commercially available systems can experience bottlenecks if installation or maintenance isn’t well-planned.
We always ask:
Are they using proven, off-the-shelf machines or custom builds?
Is the equipment maintainable and financeable?
Do they have operational experience at target capacity?
What’s the plan for maintenance, downtime, and replacement parts?
If pre-operational, what is the plan and timeline for construction and commissioning of the plant?
(Many UK-based biochar projects can only secure asset financing for high-end Pyreg machines, which cost around €2.5M and have an 18-month lead time. If the project is trying to secure finance from UK-based (and potentially other) institutions, they may not be able to finance Chinese-manufactured equipment, which limits options and raises delivery risk.)
In short, don’t get distracted by project forecasts. The real question is: Has this team ever run an industrial process before, and are their machines up for the challenge?
3. Permits, people, planning
Each new deployment means a new site, and that brings a whole new web of permitting, staffing, and community engagement requirements. Scaling is not just duplicating a pyrolysis unit. It’s repeating a whole system of stakeholder relationships, paperwork, and supply chain logistics, which is hard to do, and even harder to do at speed.
What we look for:
Evidence they’ve secured land access and local permissions
Staffing plans with recruitment, training, and safety protocols
How they handle expansion across multiple sites, jurisdictions, or regions
If the team doesn’t have direct experience scaling across sites, that’s a red flag—especially if they’re promising to ramp from pilot to industrial-scale in a few years.
4. Delivery risk is the hidden iceberg
Most buyers spend their due diligence hours combing through permanence claims and MRV documentation. That’s important, but it’s not the failure mode that’s most likely to hurt you. The most common (and costly) risk is a project that doesn’t deliver. These risks can result in credits either being undelivered, delayed, or partially-delivered.
Many projects will inevitably fall short, or be delayed, or need a redesign, if they don’t disappear entirely. Unfortunately, any of these scenarios may leave buyers with unfulfilled climate targets and no credits to retire.
We always look for:
Historical delivery track record
Credible timelines and financing
Clear-eyed understanding of any key project risks (e.g., local constraints, permitting delays, issues with feedstock supply contracts)
(If it’s a new project that is not yet operational, we check that the team has relevant experience managing industrial-scale processes and equipment.)
Delivery risk is the real iceberg lurking under the surface of all carbon projects. If you’re not careful, it may sink your climate promises.
🔦 Buyer spotlight: Locking in Exomad biochar credits
Supercritical’s expanded partnership with Exomad Green, the world’s largest biochar producer, secures 130,000 tonnes of carbon removal and gives our buyers exclusive access to 2025 supply—plus a new multi-year offtake product.
With spot prices rising 29% annually and nearly one-third of high-quality biochar supply tied into offtake agreements through 2026, locking in credits early is the only way to beat the crunch. Our agreement removes the usual procurement friction—no complex contracts, no drawn-out due diligence—and gives buyers of all sizes access to the highest-quality biochar on the market.
How Supercritical assesses biochar scale
Scaling biochar is possible, but it doesn’t happen just by adding pyrolysis kilns.
It takes holistic system-level thinking, considering the process from end-to-end e.g., biomass feedstock logistics, engineering, local permits, staffing, financing, registry, biochar application, MRV and credit delivery. That’s why our Biochar Vetting Protocol goes beyond permanence and into operational viability. We score 100+ data points, from equipment design to staffing plans, so buyers can move forward with confidence. Only 18% of today’s biochar supply makes the cut.
If you’re considering an offtake and want to sense-check the supplier’s growth story, we’re here to help.
📄 [Download the Biochar Due Diligence Checklist PDF]
🔍 [Explore Supercritical’s fully vetted biochar projects]
What’s new at Supercritical?
📘 New report: The Carbon Removal RFP Playbook – Our PDF guide for buyers who want to build a better procurement process.
📘New report: How to Build a Carbon Removal Procurement Strategy – Everything you need to know about buying carbon removal credits.
📖 Latitude Media: Carbon removal is key to AI’s next chapter. The AI boom is driving the largest infrastructure buildout in tech history. If carbon removal isn’t planned alongside power and cooling, it won’t scale in time. Supercritical CEO Michelle You makes the case for embedding CDR into data center planning now, before demand outstrips supply and prices surge.
🧠 Latest articles and insights
Can artisanal biochar meet carbon removal quality standards? Artisanal biochar makes up nearly half the market, but quality concerns hold it back. Here we explore the promise and pitfalls of small-scale production.
Why you can’t afford to ignore delivery risk in carbon removal. Nearly 97% of carbon removal credits sold haven’t yet been delivered. This article explains why delivery risk is an unavoidable part of scaling CDR, and how smart buyers are evaluating, pricing, and managing that risk to secure long-term supply.
Inside the CDR Leadership Forum: Three tensions shaping a market in motion. During London Climate Action Week, Supercritical brought together leaders from Google, Charm, Puro.earth and more for a frank discussion about the future of carbon removal. This is our recap.
🚀 Coming soon: Our first BECCS project goes live. Biochar has been leading in deliveries, but BECCS is dominating sales. Our first BECCS project is about to launch on the Supercritical marketplace, offering buyers access to one of the most permanent and scalable removal solutions. Watch this space.