Hi there. I've just done my first burn on the Flame Cap 'Corrugated Box' V2 Panel Kiln (which has a page on my website for more details).

Here are the results of the first burn:

• Built a hot fire (up to 784degsC measured with a laser thermometer near the end of the burn) and possibly all VOCs released.
• Layering was not perfect and the entire volume of the kiln was not used
• The forestry waste had minimal prior feedstock processing (cut into limb and branch lengths ~2m long but could be cut to 3m long which would be optimised for this kiln and still ergonomic enough to move around) and loaded into the kiln like a dream. Compared to all the feedstock processing I undertook for the KTE and KTR, I wish I had built this kiln years ago!
• The fire was perfectly wind protected on a still day but a high level of caution was used, allowing plenty of distance between the kiln and me in between adding feedstock to minimise the chance of burning my face
• Feedstock was not bone dry (presumably some above 15% moisture content (MC) but plenty of oily leaf from forestry waste was used intermittently throughout the burn which dried and pyrolysed the feedstock during the burn with almost zero smoke
• In kiln quench worked well with biochar mixed during the quench until zero steam and smoke
• Pretty decent volume of biochar produced for the first test burn!

• Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP): Transistor eg. GaN->Amplifier (@2.45 GHz) ->Tuned power output (with digital granularity) for the optimised dielectric loss tangent interaction->Machine Learning (ML) of unique feedstocks eg. Different categories of granulated plastic, dewatered sewage, solar/process heat dried biomass 'waste' residue, granulated car tyres etc. + co-generation of pyrolysis heat for Stirling engine eg.free piston-> (bio)electricity to self-power the electronics with a biochar/Carbon based supercap to start the process, excess bioelectricity for Redox flow eg.Fe/Redox Flow Desalination (RFD) battery storage + byproducts eg. Plastic monomers for virgin plastic and bio-oil for 'Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), Microalgae biochar (electrodes/electrolyte Carbon feedstock for supercaps, like the one used in this system) and more + Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) credits bought on a Carbon Removal Marketplace (CRM) platform

• first pyrolysis unit optimisation: tuned for the 'Microalgae biorefinery' (see previous blog).
• Most microalgae (e.g., Chlorella, Nannochloropsis, Scenedesmus) have cell walls composed mainly of polysaccharides (cellulose‑like β‑glucans, hemicelluloses, sulfated polysaccharides) and sometimes proteins and algaenan, but they lack the lignocellulosic triad of cellulose–hemicellulose–lignin that defines terrestrial biomass (https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/73244)
• a VERY competitive space. Great work is been done in Canada for 'plastic waste'. Many great biochar kilns now commercially available around the Planet at all scales of feedstock 'waste' availability and feedstock characteristics which influence the kiln 'best fit' as well as co-generation requirements
• I believe GaN transistors in GaN amplifiers could be the future for MAP - and energy efficient MAP the future of many 'waste to wealth' scenarios. How to access GaN MAP tech, pioneered by 'Scanship'?

• alternatively, is there a 'better' transistor chemistry that is available via a commercial license - or even better - an 'open source' license?

• failing that - 'flame cap' or 'TLUD' 'Appropriate Carbon Removal Technology' (ACRT) (see page on this site)

It's hard to know where to start an article about change when so much is happening around the world with so much uncertainty in everyone's minds. What is clear now I believe that what was a relatively opaque global fossil energy system has now been exposed for all it's supply network fragility (stores and flows), interdependence of National economies, global inflation relationships and microeconomics, right down to consumer shortages and inflationary bill pain. The relationships between War and fossil fuel have also been observed. All of this creates a cloud of anxiety and uncertainty, though a few points are crystal clear now.

Fossil is an energy source that most of us were sold as a way of floating more boats and build modern economies. It was a house of cards that was built around one single premise - unlimited growth (as opposed to unlimited 'regrowth' - more about that later) and no consequences for the climate, other interdependent Earth systems, ecosystems and Earth stewards. The impacts of fossil energy are now being felt everywhere. Fossil has reached every narrow corner of the globe. Fossil energy failure was unthinkable - until now.

The Iran/Middle East/Strait of Hormuz conflict exposed how much fossil energy was concentrated in one small area, commonly cited as an energy 'chokepoint'. Figures vary, but approximately 20% of world fossil fuel flows pass through this strait. It was no surprise to me, in fact predicted, that if Iran was attacked the cost of fossil would go up. What I didn't predict was how critical the Strait of Hormuz was to the world economy. After a bunch of different AI searches, I learnt that most Countries were underprepared for this outcome of fuel shortages. It's IEA policy that Countries should have 3 months of strategic fossil fuel reserves. Australia had approximately 30 days of refined petroleum products, one operating refinery at Geelong, Victoria, that could refiine crude to meet 12/2025 introduced fuel Sulfur standards, i.e. until it had a large fire, and one other refinery, at Lytton, Queensland, that was in the process of installing a module to remove Sulfur from fossil fuel to also meet those standards. Between 2012-2021, five oil refineries were shut down. We were even prepared to break an embargo on Russian oil by refining it in India and purchasing the fuel. But, we're not the EU or BRICS+ though more empathy for Zelensky would have been nice. I mean, it's not like we left him for dead.  Indeed, Australia was poorly prepared for the world fossil fuel shortage and it could have been sufficiently prepared under better leadership. I don't even like fossil fuels but they are a necessary evil until we can electrify logistics but I would never complain about classic cars and motorcycles.  The ALP has responded and now increased the fossil fuel reserve to 50 days, which is still under target, but a welcome relief given that the Iran War could fire up again and exacerbate the fossil fuel problem. Stalemate - maybe. Maybe the players should initially remain focused on opening up the Strait of Hormuz but it seems Iran is redrawing the maritime map. The energy economic virus has already spread causing global energy and food supply emergencies. Worry about the other stuff later...?

Approximately 85% of global warming emissions are from fossil fuel related products. So, if we want to cool the global climate system, the most logical choice is to 'Phase out' fossil fuel, which could require leaving some sources alone eg.shale oil (dirty), the Arctic (risky and cynical) and the Amazon (pointless). Who wants another oil conflict zone? Avoid, reduce, replace. But replace it with what? This is where it gets interesting. There are a range of industries that rely on fossil fuels either directly or indirectly. Logistics is the main one, but there's also Nitrogen based fertilisers, using LNG as a N source, construction, plastic and even pharmaceuticals and more (fact check). So, the obvious one is to electrify logistics, but this will take a long time and needs to be affordable to majority of EV consumers. Since the war began, EV waiting lists in Oz have only increased. Biosubstitution can be used for N based fertilisers eg. manure and biochar. Hydrocarbon based plastic can be replaced with plant-based bioplastic, such as hemp bioplastic. Pharmaceuticals can also use biosubstitution with bio-based chemicals.

What is becoming clear to me is that the Iran War has a silver lining if it can accelerate the uptake of fossil fuel alternatives out of economic logic, necessity and sustainability. Could this be the changing of the energy guard? I believe it is. I've spent the last 17 years researching biochar, and at this point I'm convinced that all human 'waste' can be pyrolysed and converted to charcoal. If it's from plastic, it's known as 'plastic char. If it's from a biological 'waste' source it is known as 'biochar'. Both 'plastic char' and 'biochar' can be used either natively or in various materials and can even be post-processed to produce 'Advanced Carbon materials' for various current and future applications. Biochar production systems also produce 'waste' heat, that can be used for feedstock drying, space heating, water heating and bioelectricity via heat exchangers and coupled engines, such as Stirling engines and ORCs.

What next? I've worked out an endgame, that I call a 'Regrowth Circular Bioeconomy'. This is all possible with a transition to a plant and biologically based 'bioeconomy', that integrates all of it's 'waste' back into the economy via pyrolysis that produces biochar, which really needs a 'National Pyrolysis Strategy' (with pre-seed and seed ACRT startup funding) to accelerate this transition.

I believe biochar is the key to unlocking future sustainably adapted Civilisation.

The 'Regrowth' is abbreviated for 'regenerative growth' - basically, regenerating the resource base while developing it simultaneously eg.regen agriculture, with practically no limits/unlimited to what could be achieved considering how much work needs to be done. The 'Circular' part suggests a cascade of product and material use, eg.biochar and 'Zero' waste (by it's former definition). It could be a 'System of Systems' (SoS) where standalone circular subsystems/industries form an overall circular system. In my opinion, this economic idea doesn't rule out using minerals and elements to build materials and technology. What I call 'Appropriate Carbon Removal Technology' (ACRT), steel, for eg, is critical to build this tech, such as steel stoves and kilns that produce biochar. In Australia, we have many economic mineral deposits and are lucky to produce some 'Sovereign' steel and have reliable supply chains for importing missing minerals for other steels eg.Corten and even completed steel products eg. 304 tube from Taiwan. Ideally, we could produce all of our steel in Country but may not be possible.

The main bio-based industry I have now in mind is taking a 'biorefinery' approach to using plants. The biorefinery is basically a 'black box' that

• uses plants as inputs and is plant agnostic
• produces plant biomass waste residue at the end of the plant product/extraction cascade
• needs pyrolysis to pyrolyse the biomass 'waste' residue
  • produces heat as a cogeneration product for heat engines that produce bioelectricity to power the biorefinery (with possible excess for battery, RFD storage 

    (which produces potable water during energy storage - useful for populated areas and some Greener H2 electrolysers), grid, microgrid)

  • produces biochar as a cogeneration product to grow the plants eg. build soil/filter water AND used directly for other applications OR post processed for advanced Carbon materials BOTH which can be cascaded toward lower order applications within the 'Circular bioeconomy'

The main plant group candidate for biorefinery I believe is algae, and within that broad group, microalgae, which grows on every continent. There are microalgae species that grow in both seawater and freshwater. Australia is mostly desert, and we're surrounded by ocean so it makes sense to build a network of near-coastal desert seawater driven microalgae production sites, on marginal land, for biorefinery application. I've read research that suggests protein, bioactive compounds for pharmaceuticals, pigments, nutriceuticals, biodiesel, biohydrogen, biogas, bioelectricity and biochar and more can all be extracted from different microalgae species.

The magic trick is to find an endemic microalgae species that can be grown in seawater and refined in an industrial cascade to extract all of the desired economic products from the strain.

Economically and biologically speaking, different microalgae strains contain unique average ratios of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates. They can be cultivated in different ways to tune the desired ratio. There's also the possibility of genetic engineering, which I would consider as a last resort. In the most basic business model, lipids can be extracted for biodiesel and the 'waste' biomass pyrolysed for bioelectricity and biochar. This biochar, with 'Nitrogen self doping', is suitable for electrodes in batteries and supercapacitors. So, both EVs and utility scale batteries and supercapacitors can all benefit. There's also a microalgae biochar Carbon feedstock possibility for solid state electrolytes. Most of the above, including biorefinery, is more or less blue sky R&D, though different technical aspects and products have been commercialised. Maybe this is just a billionaire's playground, but to be honest I haven't costed (or possibly engineered) a biorefinery. I think it's all the additional capex that has sunk first movers in the past. If the pre-seed funding problem can be solved for a prototype, and VC can be raised for seed funding a commercial venture (eg. dollar for dollar from the SA State Gov), then maybe it could be multiple millions to startup - not billions. I think over time, by necessity for some products eg. biodiesel and biochar, different Governments will invest in the concept and technology in the private sector if they see true value in where this direction can lead to. In the meantime, permaculture and biochar integrated systems on the ground I believe is an excellent option, which I would like to progress growing microalgae in small scale photo bioreactors for micro economy.

Future applications. For eg., why not a 'hybrid' methanol (from Direct Ocean Capture of CO2) OR microelectrolysis of H2O for H2 (ISRU) AND Electric Vehicle (EV) (with a Sodium based 3D printed Solid State Battery using Microalgae Biochar electrodes - with 'self N doping' and Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) post-activation)?

Welcome to the 'Age of Biochar'!

I've had an interest for a number of years in the field known as Micro Combined Heat and Power, or more simply, micro CHP. I would add a 'B' to the end representing biochar as a byproduct from a well engineered system. I had an idea for a TLUD micro CHP system using a large 'Navigator Burner' combined with a free piston Stirling Engine (SE) for bioelectricity. The most commonly used Stirling Engines for domestic micro CHP seem to be produced by microgen https://www.microgen-engine.com/

I did some research into a range of free piston Stirling Engines and found that less than 1.0kW output seems to have more engineering problems, with most of the low powered models relegated to academic research and the space industry. I should mention that there are a range of SE platforms to choose from as well as 'Free piston' eg.TASE.

It's an interesting field of research which I recommend having a look at. If you're really keen and can afford a conference, here's the cutting edge of SE R&D: https://21isec.sciencesconf.org/

Here are some specs for the Microgen Engine Corporation (MEC) 1.0kW 'Free piston' Stirling Engine:

• economic at 1.0kW output
• starter kits available
• almost definitely used in the BioGS-1.0 micro CHP system
• almost definitely used in the Oekofen domestic micro CHP system

A little bit more information:
BioGS-1.0
https://www.kiratechnology.com/

• biomass to power a downdraft gasifier->burner->heat + 'Free piston' SE->bioelectricity and top notch Biochar byproduct (for single purpose applications eg. electrodes or Carbon Removal in a Cascade of uses (CRCU))
• could be used as a model for larger microCHP systems
• no external power needed...it can power its own augur plus excess for batteries
• claims >95% overall efficiency but I struggle to believe this due to the ~25% efficient MEC SE probably used in their system

https://www.oekofen.com/en-gb/pellet-heating/

It seems the smoothest biomass material flow is using downdraft gasifier systems but there's definitely an engineering space for using batch mode TLUDs eg.a 4" Navigator Burner which I got an ~2h burn time on with 1kg of wood pellets (see 'Navigator Kitchen (NK) 2026' page), especially for smaller off-grid jobs eg. using the microCHP to charge a solar generator (when the sun aint shining) with heat used to heat an insulated hot water tank when hot water is needed (which may not be 24/7).

Feel free to leave a comment below...

• The conventional wisdom is that fossil fuel is scarce and renewable energy is abundant

• there's also the technology to harvest the renewable energy that generally requires mining either scarce minerals or Earth abundant minerals/elements (or something in between)
• increasingly more renewable energy harvesting technology can be upcycled at the end of its service life
• scarce minerals are not an issue for vertically integrated manufacturing at or near the same location which gives the associated National economy an advantage through taxation (and patriotism) assuming the minerals are fairly taxed and not just exported with no or minimal tax. Trade leverage can also be employed with exceptions eg. Rare Earth minerals are mainly controlled by China both inside and outside the Country
• Earth abundant minerals/elements give every economy an advantage and probably decreases the likelihood of war between them/with us over scarce minerals/elements and energy deposits/reserves eg.oil, gas and coal
• Earth abundant minerals/elements could be mined from air, land and sea eg.Carbon
• Plants are abundant in almost every ecosystem. Microalgae, macroalgae, diatoms, hemp and bamboo could be the key to unlocking the future. Cyanobacteria, the precursor of oxygenic photosynthesis, are everywhere and could be quite handy as well eg. biochar inoculated with Cyanobacteria for additional CO2 removal

Politically in Oz, the ALP is good at redistributing wealth eg. Welfare, medicines, pensioner discounts but bad at taxing it, consuming an increasing larger number of right wing fiscal ideas. They are no longer a 'tax and spend' Party but arguably adequately tax minerals but not fossil fuels eg. The PRRT for oil and gas can be outsmarted with accounting trickery and LNG export royalty taxation is practically non-existent and could be considered as an extraction of National wealth which the people own but don't profit from enough. So, wealth redistribution/spending is still real but the money pot keeps getting smaller relative to inflation, debt repayment and wages (fact check). Earth abundant minerals/elements can be used to manufacture renewable energy technologies eg. Appropriate Carbon Removal Technology (ACRT), which can be researched, designed, built, tested, developed, commercialised and used domestically and exported.

The 'Climate Emergency' is not a new 'mindset', but a dynamic 'State of Mind' which needs to adapt to new ideas that can change the 'Global Climate System' game - which, is not a game for most people and definitely not a game for most, if not all, species. 

So, what about the future?
A Re(generative)growth circular bioeconomy, in my opinion the ideal economy, probably won't be possible without a transition to 'Plant Civilization' and 'Integrated Pyrolysis 'Waste' Management' (with a 'National Pyrolysis Strategy') which may be the only hope for stabilizing the 'Global Climate System' and regrowing sustainable culture/micro economics, where absent, for future generations. 

I believe there are unlimited jobs for 'sustainable adaptation' to climate change since climate change is getting worse, linear energy systems need to be replaced with circular ones, a lot of infrastructure needs to be upgraded and many technologies such as 'Appropriate Carbon Removal Technology' (ACRT) (see web page), could be manufactured.

I think job creation should be looked at on an industry scale aka net jobs created and not get too misty eyed about less manufacturing jobs with greater automation and robotics used in factories for manufacturing. Or, manufacturing could be a once off 'DIY' 'job' or even an artisanal manufacturing cottage industry. In the case of the Biochar industry, Biochar production has both upstream plant industry biomass 'waste', wastewater treatment, sewage treatment, plastic upcycling, stove and kiln manufacturing jobs and downstream biochar application (with possible vertical integration) associated jobs and other industry integrations, such as regenerative agriculture and hard infrastructure (upgrades). The application list is steadily growing. 

I like the self-empowerment attributed to artisanal stove eg.'TLUD' and kiln manufacturing eg.'Flame cap', which is often more logistically efficient than importing tech and creates local jobs, but this is not always possible (materials, tools, skill set limitations) in which case importing is the best and possibly only option. Also, using a local fabricator may or may not be cheaper and possibly not as road tested as a popular 'Off the shelf' (OTS) industrial product which, in more developed countries, could be purchased from a local hardware store. I would love to see the Flame Cap 'Algorithm' V3 Panel Kiln panels available, using 'last minute manufacturing', in Bunnings and Mitre 10 in the future! But - to be completely honest, it's difficult to cock up a 'TLUD' stove, such as a Navigator, or a 'Flame cap' kiln, such as the Kon-Tiki cone kiln, if the correct design principles are used for engineering from the ground up. I'm predicting that the 'Algorithm' V3, and other panel kiln variations, will probably fill the gaps where Kon-Tiki cone kilns can't be built or are not logistically practical.

Some designs, such as the DIY Navigator 'Adapt' V2 TLUD, a combination of OTS components and modded OTS components are used which can save time and be achieved with a basic skill set eg. Grinding. For this tech, artisanal and industrial strategies are both used.

Overall, according to ANZBIG, it is expected that the biochar industry in Australia will be worth AUD$1-5 billion by 2030, which is a wide figure range in my opinion. I would err on something in between if new avenues/sources for pre-seed, seed and commercial funding are found for biochar production technologies. Another factor is the maturation of the 'Carbon Removal Marketplace' (CRM), which is growing exponentially and will drive ACRT demand. If Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) credits on various CRM platforms can pay users/Charistas on all ACRT scales, this will provide the foundation for a cooler Planet and create many jobs.

Apologies, guys. Another perplexity search blog but a great concept of 'Peak synergy' which I believe will advance the green and Carbon based electrode industry forward...

Here it is:

This could be one of the last blogs I write about advising the Federal Gov - I think they're probably sick of me by now! Due to financial constraints, I probably won't get to build the 'Algorithm' V3 R&D cluster this year. I'm now going to focus on a professional writing career if I can get really motivated. I also need a holiday.

Something for the Federal Gov to debate (if they have the impetus) and Oz in general to think about. How do we slow down melting permafrost and melting frozen methane clathrates beginning in the Arctic Tundra (US Navy intel)? Is 'All hell breaking loose' (http://michaelklare.com/) and how is security responding to it? Why can't we just all get along with each other in a business as usual scenario? With climate change, there is no business as usual scenario. Unpredictability is the new norm with a need to prepare for any scenario the climate and weather can throw at us. The 'Climate Code Red' book published in 2008, taking stock of climate change and spruiking a climate emergency, has been in the back of my mind for 18 years. BZE's 'Transition Decade' (2010-2020) fell flat with the LNP's lack of ambition and action. Maybe the Gov is finally ready for some big moves (now that Albo has the support) and can decide energy policy on it's own terms with minimal fossil lobby interference and influence? There's no better time to accelerate climate change action with an alternative vision to a dystopian climate future with more fossil fuel that we don't have to have.

So here's the survival bucket list (with a few extra suggestions): 

Energy
- fossil 'phase out' taxation at 25% (recommended by the Australia Institute) for all fossil C exports and fossil C imports of duplicated resources eg. Coal briquettes, BBQ charcoal, natural gas et al. Petrol, diesel would be exempted. Possibility for reopening a couple more refineries for greater energy sovereignty during the fossil 'phase out' - or don't bother  

- there's also conjecture around 'Peak oil' - but shale oil, development of Venezuela's oil fields, uncertainty in the Middle East, a melting Arctic and Greenland, a monster pipeline in Africa, rising oil supply but slower oil demand, and more will decide the future of oil. EV's or EV/diesel hybrids eg.Toyota 4WD, linked into plant industry biosubstitution eg. microalgae biorefineries producing biodiesel with biochar electrode value adds, are possibly the key to fossil 'phase out'. Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel can also be produced from plastic pyrolysis. For electrodes,  I prefer biochar from a pure plant feedstock (Dr Mauro Giorcelli's team advice) such as microalgae (and macroalgae) with 'N self doping' that is highly tunable for different battery and supercapacitor chemistries. On the 'Project Golf Buggy' web page on this site, I have added some updates that I think are worth reading. Anyone want to engineer a micro-electrolyser?
- a push for sustainable aviation fuel eg. Greener Hydrogen, ?methanol  
- National Natural Gas Reserve (for the 'phase out') - or don't bother if biomass and electrification alternatives can be quickly implemented 

- National Pyrolysis Strategy - Denmark loves it. The key to waste management in circular bioeconomy
- National Biomass Pellet Reserve (eg. Green Triangle, Eco Pellets Tasmania, Maxiheat etc)  
- responsibility, being the World's third largest fossil exporter (which could change), for resettling climate refugees from allied Nations  

Manufacturing
- 3 tiered subsidies for startups with a focus on tech entrepreneurship eg.pre-seed, seed and commercial  
- manufacturing with a strong focus on Oz made products for the housing industry, such as the 'Green tech home retrofit' (see NOTES), including ecovillages ('natural building' eg.hempcrete, rammed earth, strawbale, earth pounded tyres (Earthships); permaculture systems, renewable energy) on marginal land and/or regionally based, built by homeless people on paid apprenticeships with securing a home (rent free) after first one built, with more ecovillage building work available at the end of the apprenticeship  
- Carbon removal with a focus on biomass, sewage and plastic waste to biochar. Production tech and application R&D subsidies  
- a National Carbon Removal Marketplace to complement the ACCU, funded with the fossil C import and export taxes  
- a reassessment of 'critical minerals' in the light of new energy storage tech from UQ, UNSW etc. and advanced Carbon materials  
- increased financial support for groundbreaking projects eg. Industry 4.0 factories with flexible factory floors, vertically integrating advanced Carbon materials engineered from biochar feedstock eg.micro/macro algae, produced via cogeneration from bioelectricity kilns (plus solar and storage) powering the factory. Some advanced Carbon materials could include Carbon fibre, graphene, Metal Organic Frameworks (MOF) and more. Vertically integrated products could include electrodes (micro/macro algae biochar with N self doping) used in batteries and supercaps (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2017/ta/c7ta08095f) for electrified logistics eg. public transport, trucks, trains, shipping, personal transport etc. Machinery and power tools also a market opportunity. Why not wearable devices, smartphones and tablets too?   

IT nerd stuff
- cyber security campaign in Gov using a combination of open source eg.Kubuntu OS and commercial CS software plus adoption of industry standard best practices for employees  
- super energy efficient IT with private cloud (isolated from the Internet) and public multi-cloud (hosted with Ubuntu cloud)  
- AI oversight ethics committee seeded with captains of industry and Gov officials  
- data centre backup energy systems with bioelectricity and solar generators  
- 'Quantum proofing'/'Post-quantum cryptography' data infrastructure  

The rest
- Federal EPA with authority/teeth to block projects of National significance without 'Environment...' Minister consent. 'Environment...' Minister still needed to approve projects of National significance  
- tight integration between emergency services and forestry management for bushfire preparation using Traditional Indigenous 'cool burns'  
- water futures with a focus on banning fracking, protecting groundwater and AWH tech including energy efficient potable water production and dew irrigation systems  
- plant industry at the core of the transition to a 'Regenerative Carbon negative Circular Bioeconomy'.  Focused on prioritising 4 main plant areas aka bamboo, industrial hemp, macroalgae and microalgae which are all fast growing, fast CO2 accumulators, low or no ag inputs, low or no irrigation water, plants, for high value products which produces 'waste' biomass residue that can be pyrolysed to produce Biochar  
- promotion of regenerative ag practices with permanent Carbon removal in the form of biochar. Incentives for 'Green revolution' farmers/agribusiness to adopt these practices  

NOTES

Gov greentech home retrofit program (could relieve some cost of living pressure)
- energy efficiency assessment 
- insulation, roof and wall (where possible)
- heat pumps
- water tanks (as big as possible)

- efficient shower heads
- solar PV
- home battery (C based)
- electric stovetop
- electric appliances eg. Kettle, toaster, fridge/freezer
- wicking growing systems 

Condition 
- Oz manufactured 
- priority for locally/regionally manufactured tech if it's available 
- 15% direct Gov investment with an expected 2% annual ROI
- priority for rental market
- priority for remote Indigenous communities

According to perplexity.ai:

The relationship between surface area and charge capacity in steam activated Moso biochar-manganese metal-organic framework (Mn MOF) composites is fundamentally non-linear and governed by dual mechanisms: electric double-layer capacitance (EDLC) proportional to accessible surface area, and pseudocapacitance from manganese oxide redox reactions that is largely independent of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measured surface area. Steam activated Moso bamboo biochar achieves BET surface areas ranging from 496–2024 m²/g, while Mn MOF-derived materials and their biochar composites demonstrate specific capacitances of 234–523 F/g despite moderate surface areas (178–486 m²/g). This performance disparity reveals that manganese oxide's redox activity contributes substantially to charge storage independent of physical surface area, with optimal performance requiring synergistic integration of high-surface-area biochar (for EDLC) and well-dispersed manganese oxide nanoparticles (for pseudocapacitance).

All of this should be fact checked with academic papers...

I'm imagining a future where machines, tools and devices can be 'Solid state' engineered using a Carbon based (and Carbon negative) electrochemistry that quickly charges from renewables eg.solar, stores a large amount of charge/energy with long duration and can be tuned to discharge power for a given application (eg. big batteries, EVs) or for various applications (in the case of a power bank/solar battery). This could be the most complex undertaking in human history to 'phase out' fossil fuel. I studied Carbon materials papers for years and to be honest, my mind is overloaded with research but prepared myself for AI intel scrambling and hallucinations. I keep on reminding myself to go back to the 'first principles' of a 'good' battery design. This blog is as far as I have got in this intellectually rewarding but 'draining' and 'money poor' R&D area. With supportive Governments, academia and industry the energy problem could turn on a dime in the Planet's favour. The 'Great acceleration' is happening. It could be called a 'Carbon materials revolution'. Maybe the next generation of researchers and designers and builders and business people can lock it all on and create jobs and wealth and further the human project for a more sustainable and advanced Planet?

***

Here's a great value add for biochar to think about...

Biomass waste streams ->bioelectricity biochar kiln->bioelectricity (eg. complementary to big batteries) + Biochar->C feedstock for C based Solid State Batteries (SSBs, from electronic devices to portable power banks to solar generators to EV batteries and utility scale big batteries) and supercaps

In my opinion, it's a bioelectricity biochar kiln, Carbon-based battery/supercap 'Carbon electrochemistry', sustainable biomass waste stream, supply chain and logistics problem.

An idea for a bioelectricity biochar kiln is as follows:

Gallium Nitride amplifiers (built from 'solid state' GaN transistors) used for a continuous Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis (GaN MAP) biochar kiln (standalone modules), co-located near a big battery at an energy farm:
- on-board kiln battery (circuit 1, that can switch to circuit 2 battery when discharged to 20%)->powers MAP for different feedstocks eg. dried and chipped bamboo culm waste (with ideally 1 degrees Celsius granular temperature control for high biochar tunability per energy storage application)->biochar and syngas/flame->Stirling engine(s) eg. Frauscher Motors G70/G80 series->power to the on-board kiln battery (circuit 2, that can switch to circuit 1 when charged to 85%) + excess power to big battery at the energy farm (kiln is switched on for on-demand (instant startup time) 24/7 dispatchable power for the big battery as needed)

The Carbon-based battery/supercap 'Carbon electrochemistry' is probably still mainly experimental but with an emerging and interested academic and industry community. How long will biochar C-based feedstocks last? For the 'Inertinite Benchmark', temperature is directly proportional to 'Random Reflectance' (Ro). If Ro of biochar is >2% the biochar half life is 100 million years (for essentially permanent C removal). The ideal temperature for desirable levels of graphitization (phase change) varies with the feedstock and catalyst used eg. steam activated bamboo biochar from a previous batch, which increases MAP energy efficiency by lowering the temperature for graphitization. According to academic 'Research' on perplexity.ai, there is 'no direct research' on "GaN Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis" temperature for bamboo graphitization. Temperature also relates to biochar surface area (affects electric double-layer capacitance (EDLC)), energy storage stability/degradation rate (eg. a 'Metal Organic Framework', MOF, built around a 3D biochar matrix where stability of C in the matrix, related to pyrolysis temperature and arguably phytoliths, is probably key to the MOF stability) and probably more besides. Ideally, bamboo culm waste (possibly including leaf litter for more Si), if available, could be dried and chipped, pyrolysed then steam activated. The electrical properties of bamboo eg. Moso (Phyllostachys edulis), are generally excellent for energy storage and  'electrical conductivity' (EC) according to my research, eg. high density of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), compared to other bamboos, which can be graphitized during higher temperature pyrolysis to increase EC, also improved with conductive pathways along vascular bundles etc. What is needed is research using GaN MAP tech to determine an optimal Moso biochar C feedstock for a given application using a standard moisture content (MC) of the biomass (before pyrolysis) and standard pyrolysis heating rate (degsC/minute) and highest treatment temperature (HTT) of pyrolysis (which is possible with granular GaN MAP temperature control). In other words, I believe it's a dance between surface area and graphitization attributes, determined by pyrolysis heating rate and HTT, for an optimal balance of storage capacity (EDLC and pseudocapacitance of Mn oxide redox reactions) and EC, which will be different for anodes, battery electrolytes and supercaps. The post-pyrolysis material also needs to be suitable for activation, such as steam (where most of the research is focused), KOH (less clean and less research) or other activation strategies.

Moso also grows in a number of Countries (reasonably 'Earth abundant') and is the world's top economic bamboo species.

The 'Earth abundant' Manganese (Mn), with high redox potential for electron exchange, is exciting too, for eg., a steam activated Moso biochar C based Mn MOF, using Carbon-Oxygen-Metal bonds. There are more Oxygen bonding sites with post-pyrolysis steam activation (as well as higher surface area too). The Mn probably gets the lions share of electron exchange in the material. Biochar also has additional functional groups for additional electron exchange sites and some synergistic effects. Possible ceramic insulation, for the battery (or even supercap) electrolytes. Anodes are also a possible application for the material. 3D printing is also a possibility.

I would call a sustainable biomass waste stream a combination of sustainable growing systems producing the biomass waste and a stable supply of biomass waste from those systems for chips/pellets etc. used in the bioelectricity biochar kilns.

In terms of supply chains and logistics, I imagine that if the existing natural gas peakers were replaced with bioelectricity biochar kilns at big battery sites/energy farms (with either wind, solar or both as renewable energy input), there will be a distributed and variable supply of biochar. If battery/supercap production was positioned in large central regional locations near these energy farms, the logistics C footprint and time required for moving the biochar to the battery factories would be decreased. Potentially, a hedge/buffer of biochar could be built at the factories to ensure a stable supply of biochar for battery production.

Alternatively - the bioelectricity biochar kilns could directly power the battery/supercap factories, with maybe a small complementary battery and wind/solar system installed, and supply the factory with (bamboo) biochar with a negligible logistics C footprint of moving the biochar to the production line.

I'm confident the demand will be there for the associated applications but not necessarily the investment - yet. Australia has a 'Battery Industry Strategy' based in Queensland that is using National suppliers. I would argue that any suitable Moso growing region, using the self-powered factory idea above, is a potential site for a C based energy storage manufacturing  pilot project once the science and engineering have been proven in a University eg.UQ, which could access Moso in southern QLD. A miniature land-based GaN MAP system engineered by vowasa.com could be possibly bought and used at the University for prototyping the material. Access to Australian Mn is probably OK around the Country. Organic linkers for the Mn shouldn't be a problem either.

I should also mention that my 'New material' idea I blogged about on the 29/10/2021 speculating a direct capture and storage of solar energy by 'solar nanocrystals' could work, has now been possibly solved with 'Carbon nitrides' (possibly using Moso biochar as a C feedstock). Smartphones and tablets could really benefit here though the charge capacity is not there yet. If you're studying Carbon electrochemistry and looking for a PhD there might be an opportunity in this project at the University of Queensland though I'm not sure if they are looking at 'Carbon nitrides' or other Carbon structures:

https://aibn.uq.edu.au/study/designing-solar-rechargeable-battery-system-efficient-solar-energy-storage

Back to the topic...

Alternatively, there's another 'running' hypothesis that I'd like to test. The 'Flame Cap 'Algorithm' V3 Panel Kiln' (see web page above) could be possibly used to produce energy storage grade biochar Carbon feedstock once again using Moso bamboo. The kiln could be used for bamboo waste or whole culms, in a scenario of a dedicated crop/plantation, with minimal feedstock preparation due to the kiln's expandable length which will accept the entire length of a culm/culms.

The HTT would be more variable than GaN MAP due to differences in temperature of the flame cap as the layers build up (so less precise tunability) but maybe it will just result in a performance drop of the energy storage capacity and EC but could still be a highly functional energy storage material.

The moisture content can still be standardised (using an MC probe to check the MC). 
The 'Algorithm' V3  would also be far more affordable than the GaN MAP and break the potential dependency on GaN IP based in one US company (rfhic.com). Bioelectricity via cogeneration could be engineered (though I'm not sure how to do it yet).