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"And God will give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine." (Genesis 27:28)
Executive Summary
“BioChar, The New Black Gold”
Introduction
In January 2020, the UN and the IPCC issued a bilateral memorandum entitled "Climate Change and Land: An IPCC Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems a Summary for Policymakers": This framework document touches on a number a very import global issues which include Public Health, Economy, Agriculture, Ecology and the Environment.
One of the major solution included in the above special report includes BioChar which can provide solutions in many areas such as: prevention of turning fertile soil into desert due to accelerated overuse of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, prevention of soil erosion, saving water consumption by 50 %, substantial savings on fertilizers, providing sustainable agriculture and food security due to increases of yields on the same land area; and as a viable means to sequester large amounts of CO2. In this regard, BioChar can reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, at a rate of 6.6 billion tons per year !!! (see p. 27 of above report).
The gloomy predictions described in the above special report unfortunately started to come true in early 2020 due to the corona crisis that severely damaged public health, causing many disruptions in the supply chain of many essential products between countries, and global economic damage. Scientists and doctors around the world are warning of the negative impact of climate change on global agricultural production that will be "fertile ground" for the perfect storm of a global “food crisis” which if not addressed immediately may God forbid mean starvation for billions of humans.
Recently, the Russia-Ukraine War was another negative example of a humanitarian disaster, air pollution and environmental damage, global economic damage and disruption of supply chain of essential products such as: wheat, corn, vegetable oils, crude oil, natural gas, fertilizers for agriculture, lithium, cobalt, etc. The current global situation requires countries and companies to deal with and avoid the pending global "food crisis ".
Schematic of BioChar Solutions
The Industrial process of Pyrolysis used to produce BioChar enables the creation of multiple profit centers utilizing renewable biomass feed-stock by producing as a byproduct Heat, Electricity, Bio-Diesel, Jet Fuel, Tar, and BioChar
What is BioChar?
“BioChar is a highly adsorbent, specially-produced charcoal with unique properties originally used as a soil amendment.”
In recent years geologists have been researching black soil in particularly fertile areas of Amazon soil. In close proximity to archaeological finds indicating ancient agricultural settlement in the area. Research and mapping of the black soil known as “Terra Preta” contain activated carbon mixtures, bones, and pottery fragments. These lands date to an early period of 500 BC. These areas were found to be very fertile with a high amount of organic matter compared to areas adjacent to them.
BioChar is a combination of the English words: biology and carbon that is, carbon with biological activity. In the last decade, researchers have begun to study the properties of BioChar and its necessary integration into modern and industrialized agriculture characterized by the current significant loss of soil fertility.
Did you know?
Although about 90% of the plant's energy comes from the sun, plants need additional nutrients that come through the roots. About 80% of the fertilizers and water we add to the soil are not utilized by the plant but leach into the soil and pollute the water table. Extensive use of pesticides on crops causes low or absent beneficial microorganism activity in the soil which leads to many crop diseases which can now be prevented by the use of BioChar. In addition, we can now prevent the loss of minerals and other nutrients due to soil erosion caused by winds, rain or irrigation.
How we produce our BioChar?
Our BioChar is made from dead beetle kill trees cleared from forests (but can also be produced from any waste biomass), which undergo a pyrolysis process in a furnace in which biomass is heated in an oxygen-free environment in order to decompose into simpler materials. There are two types of pyrolysis, fast and slow. Rapid pyrolysis uses moderate to high temperatures and rapid heating of wood chips. Slow pyrolysis is characterized by gradual heating over a wide range of temperatures for BioChar production.
BioChar Now, LLC. uses a unique and proprietary furnace to perform a process of slow and controlled pyrolysis over 8 hours in order to allow slow processing of different sizes of wood, to produce a consistent, high-quality BioChar. Our BioChar is characterized by a number of key parameters which enable its use in all the applications listed below:
The quality of the BioChar for the above applications depends on the feedstock used for the raw material. Research has shown that BioChar made from dead trees or wood waste produces a very large surface area of 400-500 square meters per gram in comparison to BioChar made from sewage sludge or agricultural waste which has a surface area of 10-20 square meters per gram with a low carbon content.
Our BioChar is a lightweight material, thanks to many pores, and a large surface area, which reaches 400 square meters or more per gram and looks like a sponge full of holes. BioChar is used to adsorb various substances with an emphasis on the adsorption of heavy metals, and dangerous toxins found in various pesticides and their sequestration and eventual breakdown by microorganisms.
The BioChar can be "loaded" or charged with beneficial minerals and microorganisms before applying it to the soil or on the crop beds. It is important to use the right particle size of BioChar to the type of crop application required. "Different sizes, for different crop types". The application of BioChar has many effects on the properties of the soil and it becomes a supervisor for controlled release, and a bank for minerals and other nutrients, excess water, as well as a habitat for many beneficial microorganisms which make plants more disease resistant thus eliminating the need for dangerous pesticides & fungicides. Absorption of water and its allocation sparingly according to the root requirement prevents over-watering, waste of water and loss of essential minerals & other nutrients. BioChar acts as water and nutrient rich battery, storing it and releasing it in an efficient manner as needed.
BioChar essentially becomes a capsule rich in nutrients, which raises the acidity level of the soil to an optimal level and is a major reason why our product is so efficient and significantly improves soil quality, crop growth, crop yields, and nutritional quality of produce."
Please note: Most BioChar which is sold in the world is essentially ash with very low carbon content and very low surface area per gram. Most are also not certified organic and may have chemical residues as well as heavy metals. Also, because of the low carbon content, this excludes it from receiving carbon credits for being sequestered.
The Many Uses for BioChar = Many Vertical Markets = Increased Profits
The Many Uses & Applications for BioChar
To date, there are over 55 known uses for BioChar with many more being discovered every month. As just a small sample of all the peer reviewed journal articles of new scientific findings leading to practical application for BioChar click HERE.
It turns out that the stable carbon matrix that BioChar is made of has all kinds of interesting properties. This carbon matrix can hold on to things – water, air, metals and organic chemicals, and it also has unique thermal and electrical properties that are still being explored. Finally, the highly porous physical structure of BioChar provides habitat for microorganisms. With so many different properties, BioChar is bound to have a lot of different uses, but one function that all BioChar applications (other than burning it for fuel) share is carbon sequestration. By fixing easily degradable plant carbon into long-lasting charcoal, carbon dioxide is slowly but surely removed from the atmosphere. It is no wonder that it is considered and being called the “New Black GOLD”!
Short List of BioChar Uses
Agriculture: Improves soil fertility and increasing yield per hectare, water and fertilizer (nutrients) bind to the BioChar in the root zone and release it according to the plant’s requirements, prevents leaching (waste) of water and fertilizer and it’s contamination of ground water, development of healthy roots, reduces soil acidity, saves up to 50% in water usage as well as significant reduction in fertilizer consumption, growing organic crops economically, enables farming of desert land.
The soil treatment is usually a one-time procedure, and will allow the farmer to enjoy all of these benefits over many years.
Animal food supplement for Cows, and Chickens: About 90% of the BioChar produced in Europe is marketed as an animal food supplement. Studies have shown that when used as a dietary supplement for cows and chickens substantially improves their health, 25% faster increase in the weight of the animals, increases milk production and the laying of quality eggs, reduction or elimination of the need for antibiotics & growth hormones, and as an additive to the animal bedding substrate for chicken coops and cow barns which reduces or eliminates foot infections of the animals due to the BioChar’s absorption of moisture and ammonia which reduces harmful bacterial growth, substantial reduction of odors. (See Journal Article)
Environmental Cleanup of Contaminated Soil & Water: Due to the chemical and physical properties of BioChar allow the capsular fixation of heavy metals and chemical contaminants in the soil. The BioChar prevents these contaminants from being leached into the local water supply. The use of the BioChar speeds up the process of soil cleanup and the rapid restoration of sterile and contaminated soils. (See Journal Article). BioChar is also used in the cleanup of contaminated water from heavy metals, chemicals, and sediment particles. It is also used to quickly eliminate algae blooms.
As an Additive to Concrete, Plastic, and Asphalt: When added to concrete instead of sand, BioChar can increase strength by double while reducing weight by half. It will also impart new qualities to the concrete such as insulation properties as well as being a moisture barrier to prevent mold and mildew growth which will avoid sick building syndrome. This is due to the BioChar’s nano size pores (click here to view list of benefits). When added to plastic formulations it will substantially increase strength, while also being able to withstand higher temperatures.
When added to asphalt for roads BioChar will revolutionize the way we build roads and highways. Tens of thousands of kilometers of roads and highways are built or rebuilt around the planet every year. For the past six years, road building company CarbonCor, has been piloting the use of different types of BioChar in roads built in Malaysia, Thailand and most recently in Australia. They have developed road building materials that can sink up to 30 tons of BioChar into 1 kilometer of road thus sequestering 90 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. At these rates, asphalt could potentially be a larger market for BioChar than soils! The addition of BioChar can improve the durability and increase the service life of asphalt pavement, reducing construction and maintenance costs over the complete life cycle of the asphalt pavement, which has significant economic and social value.
Carbon Credits: The International Glasgow Convention obliges countries and industries to reduce CO2 carbon emissions and move to renewable green energies while setting clear goals for each country, including the State of Israel. Failure to meet the carbon reduction targets could lead to economic sanctions against the country, lowering their international credit rating, or denying credit to polluting companies or countries, and imposing fines.
The consensus that producing BioChar and burying it in the ground prevents carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere has led to the opening of an economic niche for "investment houses" that trade in carbon credits, namely: polluting industries can "purchase" carbon credit from BioChar producers or trading platforms and thus "offset" their carbon emissions.
The common equation is: sequestering one ton of BioChar in the soil, asphalt, building materials, etc. = preventing emissions of 3 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. The payment per ton of CO2 sequestered is between 75-100 Euros.
The registration and certification process of the manufacturer involves many tests by environmental engineers, regulatory approvals and laboratory tests on the quality of the BioChar product produced as well as on the equipment used to manufacture it.
Here is the place to commend our manufacturer and partner BioChar Now, LLC which has completed registration procedures for receiving "carbon credits" for the BioChar produced at it’s facilities in light of the many requests from polluting industries wishing to purchase “carbon credits” to meet their CO2 reduction goals. The first “Carbon Credit” platform which we will be listed on is CarbonFuture. BioChar Israel will market the premium products and therefore every customer who purchases the product will receive a monetary reward for carbon credits in addition to the positive returns that will be received from the use of the product.
BioChar's ecosystem creates new ecological communities and economies, helping countries meet CO2 reduction targets.
About Us
After months of research and due diligence as to the best company overall in the large scale production of both high quality BioChar as well as the manufacturing of the hardware and software to do so, not to mention immense practical “know how”, BioChar Israel, Ltd. took a strategic decision to partner with BioChar Now, LLC and the Family of Israel Foundation.
After months of research and due diligence as to the best company overall in the large scale production and industrial ready scalability of both high quality BioChar as well as the manufacturing of the hardware and software to do so, and immense practical “know how”, the Foundation took a strategic decision to partner with BioChar Now, LLC and leverage the many achievements and milestones which it has reached over the past 11 years. These achievements include 16 issued patents, and certifications including ISO, US-EPA, USDA, CEPA (Canada), OMRI (Organic Certification), and Israeli Ministry of Agriculture. We also have the ability to offer and sell Carbon Credits. For this reason its the ONLY company in the world whose BioChar and Carbon Credits are insured by a major insurance company. To date, these achievements have not been reached by any other company in the world. This gives us first mover advantage.
BioChar Israel, Ltd.’s activities will include the immediate sale of the BioChar Now, LLC. product line produced at our partners manufacturing facilities in the USA in Israel and in other parts of the world with special emphasis on the Middle East and Africa, as well as the manufacturing of equipment for setting up of production lines with various strategic JV partners all over the globe which will help build out and expand our planed BioChar consortium. The immediate sale of our partner’s production capacity will allow us to generate revenues from the start. BioChar Israel, Ltd. will also conduct R&D on the many other identified and still unidentified uses for premium grade BioChar as the raw material to be used in the fields of medicine, low cost construction material including a formulation which can be used for the rapid 3D printing of homes, low cost, non-toxic high density energy storage technology (Green Bio Batteries), and several other applications which are currently highly confidential.
Our Business Model
We will be leveraging the strengths of BioChar Now, LLC. in expanding into a consortium/network of JV partnerships worldwide in collaboration & cooperation with the Family of Israel Foundation and BioChar Now, LLC for the production of Heat, Electricity, BioChar, Tar, Bio-Diesel, and Jet Fuel from waste wood (including contaminated waste wood), landfill organic waste, as well as from tens of millions of acres of dead trees (beetle kill timber) that needs to be cleared from forests to prevent devastating forest fires.
Being headquartered in Israel “The Start-Up nation”, we will leverage our excellent relations with the various government agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Science & Innovation, etc… to receive grants, loan guarantees, as well as long term off-take contracts in the event that we succeed in making BioChar an inseparable part of the upcoming new national agriculture reforms currently being worked on. The Israeli government is showing great interest in BioChar and has a dedicated team of professionals that have been assigned to cooperate and collaborate with us.
Israel also has the added advantage of having the highest number of engineers & scientist per capita in the world spanning the whole spectrum of science & technology at a cost far lower than anywhere else; which will be a great asset to our R&D division.
We will setup our first manufacturing facility on a 500 acre plot of mostly forested land currently being secured for this project. We will also JV with municipalities in Israel to setup production sites at the landfills which comprise of 75% organic waste to be used as our feedstock. In addition, we will off-take for a small tipping fee the over 1 million tons per year of agricultural crop waste now being burned or land-filled to produce a high-end proprietary organic compost fertilizer to be premixed with our BioChar to be sold to farmers.
Multiple Profit Centers
BioChar Israel, Ltd. will have a number of profit centers from off-take contracts on the sale of:
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Electricity
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BioChar
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Organic Compost/BioChar Mix (premium product)
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Bio-Diesel
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Jet Fuel
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Tar for use in asphalt
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Tipping fees for receiving waste wood & municipal landfill organic waste
We also anticipate additional income streams from the licensing of technologies developed by us in-house to be used in the construction field, automotive (electric vehicle batteries), Solar/Wind industry (high density energy storage), etc...Another profit center will be realized by the sale of carbon credits which we will be accumulating along the way by sequestration of BioChar (Carbon).
As can clearly be seen above, the many benefits of BioChar will have a significant positive impact on climate change, the environment, sustainable agriculture, clean renewable energy, affordable housing, material science, and many other applications which truly make it the "New Black Gold".
A New & Improved Blockchain Carbon Credit Platform
BioChar Cash Carbon Credit Blockchain Platform
As part of our grand vision for a total BioChar Ecosystem, BioChar Israel, Ltd. will also be building out a new and improved Blockchain Carbon Credit Platform including it’s own Cryptocurrency called BioChar Cash which will be backed by BioChar; being the “New Black Gold” (commodity), as well as a basket of other agricultural commodities. Unlike the fiat currencies of the world and most cryptocurrencies which are backed by nothing but faith in what is essentially a unbridled debt system controlled by central banks for the former and mostly pump & dump highly volatile crypto’s for the later, BioChar Cash will be backed by a basket of hard assets which will always be in great demand. BioChar’s current market price for premium product ranges from $ 1,800- $2,500 USD per ton with demand currently exceeding supply.
BioChar Cash will have it’s own independent blockchain and will utilize a proprietary but open source algorithm with many advanced functions including a coin hour function which will act like interest (example: for every hour that the BioChar Cash Coin is held, a coin hour will be produced in parallel and which will be used for transaction fees as well as being able to redeem accumulated coin hours at a set rate back into BioChar Cash. This will help eliminate the extremely high volatility suffered by current cryptocurrencies. Our algorithm also requires very little power to operate so it will be green and sustainable unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum which require enormous electrical power to operate the network. We will also have our own secure wallets for iOS, Android, and desktop/laptop computers as well as a cold storage device. BioChar will be listed on major Cryptocurrency exchanges in order to provide high liquidity.
The Blockchain Carbon Credit Platform will be utilizing a proprietary patented, military grade post quantum computing secured encryption algorithm approved by the Israeli Ministry of Defense Cyber Unit to encode all the information on each batch of BioChar produced by our consortium JV partners into a QR code. The information encoded into the QR code will include full lab analysis and certification of each manufactured batch, location of manufacturing site, and any other required information we wish to encode.
The platform will also have a built in smart contract function with self executing contracts which will be used for providing loans to farmers for seed, fertilizer and equipment as well as for the purchase of BioChar which will be collateralized by the agricultural commodity being produced by the farmer to be sold on the world markets through the platform. This will completely put in place and empower a system which is designed from the start to be a level playing field which is, fair, equitable, and all inclusive.
Use Cases for BioChar Cash
1. The first and foremost use case for BioChar Cash will be to purchase BioChar from our consortium of JV partners utilizing our certified and approved BioChar production equipment. The moment it is produced, certified, and verified they will be paid in BioChar Cash which they can liquidate on an exchange for fiat currency, or hold on to it to accrue coin hours which act as interest, or as a safe store of wealth. The now purchased BioChar will be owned by the platform which will be available for immediate sale to the end user or stored at the JV partners facility until an end user is located.
2. The second use case will be for those clients wishing to purchase BioChar with BioChar Cash at a discount which they would have to acquire just like any other currency required to purchase commodities, similar to oil & gas producers who currently demand payment with US dollars. Or now, in the case of Russian oil and gas were buyers are required to pay in Rubles, gold, or Bitcoin.
3. The third use case would be for those wishing to buy Carbon Credits from our platform which would require them to pay in BioChar Cash purchased at a discounted rate.
4. The forth use case will be as a safe and secure store of wealth. Because BioChar Cash will be fully backed by a basket of provable, verified hard assets (commodities) which decouple it from counter party risk making it a solid as gold & silver as a store of wealth.
5. The fifth use case will be as a platform to provide finance to farmers to purchase BioChar, fertilizer, farm equipment, etc…, as well as to the construction and manufacturing industries which will utilize BioChar in the construction of buildings & homes and in manufacturing of many various industrial products whose main ingredient is BioChar.
If you have an interest in finding out more about investment opportunities in our Carbon Credit Blockchain Platform, BioChar Cash, or in our R&D pipeline, feel free to reach out to us by phone or e-mail.