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Biochar pricing hampers biochar farming

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Abstract

Large amount of papers glorifying utilization of biochar have been published in recent years. Based on the reviews, one could get the impression that a new era in environmental management, as well as in agriculture, has already started. Looking around, however, biochar remains unknown to farmers and excessive amounts of biowaste are still being disposed in landfills. Techno-economic analyses of biochar farming in recent years have been sufficient to reveal that the biggest challenge is posed by biochar production cost and pricing. It turns out that production at application site and reorientation towards agricultural waste represents a promising alternative. However, it is concluded that regardless the production cost was significantly reduced in the meantime due to the advances in technology, the price of biochar remains high due to lack of production and high demand.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support associated with the Czech Innovation (2013) award and the quality innovation of the year 2014 award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute of Technology and Businesses in České Budějovice, Okružní 517/10, 370 01, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Marek Vochozka, Anna Maroušková, Jan Váchal & Jarmila Straková

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  1. Marek Vochozka
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  2. Anna Maroušková
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  3. Jan Váchal
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  4. Jarmila Straková
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Correspondence to Marek Vochozka.

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Vochozka, M., Maroušková, A., Váchal, J. et al. Biochar pricing hampers biochar farming. Clean Techn Environ Policy 18, 1225–1231 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1113-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1113-3

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