Biochar is a solid, carbon-rich (>60%) residue obtained via the pyrolysis of biomass. It is generally produced for spreading on agricultural land with a view to increasing carbon storage by the soil.
Soils store carbon in the form of organic matter and release it as gas into the atmosphere, primarily in the form of CO2. When they store more than they release, they act as so-called “carbon sinks“. Therefore, soils can play a role in climate change mitigation strategies. Europe, spearheaded by France with its Low-Carbon label, encourages agricultural and forestry strategies promoting carbon storage in soils.