The UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC): A Quick Overview
UKBRC is undertaking disciplinary and interdisciplinary research on the role of biochar as a carbon storage technology, its production, properties and functions and its use as a soil amendment within agricultural systems. Our objectives are to:
- Improve understanding of the local, regional and global potentials for biochar in diverse contexts and its safe and beneficial use in soil
- Efficiently and effectively address the many uncertainties that exist around the development of biochar technologies and potential products, providing a robust evidence base;
- Disseminate knowledge through publication and through developing a network that links the UK research community, policy makers and other stakeholders and which extends internationally.
The UK Biochar Research Centre was established in April 2009, with headquarters in the School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, via a core Science and Innovation grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) awarded to Professor Stuart Haszeldine. The Scottish Funding Council also provided additional funding to support the establishment of the new centre.
Newcastle University and Rothamsted Research agreed to join Edinburgh in creating the UKBRC as an alliance. We envisage that this alliance will change and develop alongside the UK's biochar R&D community over the next few years.
UKBRC has undertaken to organise annual UK Biochar Conferences, with the 1st conference held in Edinburgh in 2009 (link to working paper 1) and the 2nd conference took place in 2010 (link to conference presentations) at Rothamsted Research.
The grant supported the appointment of three academics to establish and carry forward the work of UKBRC in three general areas:
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Soil science and biochar functions: Dr Saran Sohi
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Engineering and production: Dr Ondřej Mašek
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Systems and social science: Dr Simon Shackley
Each area has developed into a set of distinct projects with appointments in each area. Additional funding has been secured through participation in proposals, including projects supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Shell Global Solutions, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the International Development Research Centre as well as private benefactors Derek and Maureen Moss.