The startup Applied Carbon has developed an agricultural robot with the ability to transform plant waste into“biochar“, a substance that improves soil fertility while capturing and storing carbon with great potential for centuries.
A modern approach to an ancient practice
Biochar has been used for more than 2,000 years in agriculture to improve soil quality. Today, it is at the heart of Applied Carbon’ s mission to combat climate change . combat climate change. The company, led by Jason Aramburu and Morgan Williams, has designed a machine that operates directly in agricultural fields, avoiding the need to transport plant waste to processing plants.
This device is tractor-driven and converts crop residues such as corn, wheat, and rice into biochar through a process of pyrolysis.
“We strongly believe in the potential of biochar as a solution for CO₂ removal,” said Aramburu, CEO of Applied Carbon,“Our goal is to simplify the production and logistics of biochar to make it more affordable and efficient in terms of carbon accounting.”
Applied Carbon has produced five prototypes of its agricultural robot since its founding and the technology has proven to be effective at carbon sequestration while improving yields in fields. The machine is designed to handle a variety of agricultural residues and the company has plans to expand its use to other types of crops.
The recent Series A round of funding, in which the company raised $21.5 million in raised $21.5 millionwill enable Applied Carbon to move from prototype to mass production of its pyrolyzer.
A greener future with the agricultural robot
The biochar generated by these machines is being used for carbon credits, which have been sold to large companies such as Microsoft. One of the company’s intentions is to lease or sell these machines to farmers in the future, which will allow them to generate their own carbon credits by capturing CO₂ in their fields.
The long-term vision of Applied Carbon is to revolutionize the way agriculture contributes to the fight against climate change.“We aspire to be a benchmark in agricultural machinery, similar to John Deere, making it easier for farmers to adopt sustainable practices,” Aramburu explained.
With plans to deploy its technology in states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, Applied Carbon is well positioned to lead the transformation to more sustainable agriculture, effectively sequestering carbon and contributing to the long-term health of our planet.
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Source and photo: Applied Carbon