Minneapolis Launches Biochar Facility to Transform Wood Waste into Climate Solution

Minneapolis is expanding its efforts to become a center of innovation for uses of lower quality natural wood resources as the city gets set to open a facility that will convert wood waste to biochar. This charcoal-like material is produced by pyrolosis a process that uses high temperatures (over 350 degrees) combined in a low oxygen environment.

The products from this superheating process are attracting attention internationally as a soil additive and also as a natural water filtration materials. The product is believed to benefit soil quality for agriculture, and also for forest growth.

Biochar will be produced in the Twin Cities process from wood waste, much of it from the clean up and tree trimming work of Xcel Energy. Utilities are regularly performing forestry operations to prevent or correct power outages from the urban forest.

"As the Swiss Army knife of climate tools, it also does amazing environmental benefits such as growing more food, saving our trees," Jim Doten, the city’s program manager for the project said. "But also our public works will be using it in stormwater, transportation, planting trees, etc. We're working with the University of Minnesota on several different applications."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city would be the first to have a facility to make biochar.

Excel Energy is also a partner in an effort to build the nation’s first sustainable aviation fuel supply chain focused on MSP, the metropolitan area’s major hub airport. Other area businesses involved in the Greater MSP Partnership include Delta Airlines, Bank of America, and Ecolab.

Sustainable aviation fuel has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by as much as 80%, according to the Greater MSP Partnership.