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We’re thrilled to announce the second publication of our comparative blog series – Biochar Beyond Borders! Every month, we’ll highlight key takeaways from an interview with an industry leader in the global biochar industry. Each blog will focus on a specific region or country, highlighting key players and regional dynamics shaping the local biochar sector. Our goal is to provide actionable takeaways and foster meaningful dialogue—connecting thought leaders, innovators, and practitioners to inspire progress across the biochar community. Today, we talk about India and we'll focus on:
India’s abundant biomass, supportive policies, and growing innovation position it as a leader in the biochar market. Converting agricultural waste into biochar can reduce pollution, enhance soil health, and support sustainability goals. With emerging carbon credit initiatives and an upcoming shift toward high-tech production, India’s biochar industry is set for significant growth.
Despite its potential, India’s biochar sector faces challenges like low awareness, lack of market incentives, and limited industry preparedness. Adoption is slow due to knowledge gaps among farmers, policymakers, and investors. The absence of subsidies, certification standards, and large-scale production capacity hinders growth. Additionally, reliance on external technology and competition from other bio-solutions add complexity. Addressing these barriers through awareness, policy support, and infrastructure development will be key to scaling India’s biochar market sustainably.
India’s biochar sector is evolving from small-scale, low-tech production toward high-tech innovation, but large investors remain hesitant. Strengthening local market structures, certification standards, and carbon trading frameworks will be crucial for scaling. While domestic demand remains weak, Indian producers are tapping into global markets. Raising awareness and aligning policies with international standards will help India establish itself as a major biochar player both locally and globally.
Asitava and Adrien see a bright future for biochar in India, emphasising the need for stronger policy support, subsidies, and investment security. While small-scale projects dominate, high-tech ventures are emerging, driven by innovation from organizations like CRIA. Streamlining (d)MRV processes and expanding applications beyond agriculture—into construction, F&B, and textiles—will further accelerate growth. With better policies, investment, and awareness, India can become a global biochar leader.
In this edition of Biochar Beyond Borders, we had the privilege to speak with Asitava Sen and Adrien Humbert about the Indian biochar sector;
Asitava brings over three decades of experience leading industry bodies, think tanks and public programmes. He is the co-founder and CEO of Carbon Removal India Alliance (CRIA) - an organisation dedicated to accelerating the development, commercialisation, and deployment of durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies while maximising their co-benefits in India.
Adrien, with a strong technical and scientific background in the energy sector, is co-founder of Circonomy - a biochar carbon removal project developer and certified dMRV provider committed to driving meaningful and lasting change by maximising the social and environmental benefits of their biochar initiatives in the tropics.
This edition of the Biochar Beyond Borders series blog was developed through separate, independent interviews with two organisations, namely CRIA and Circonomy. Each organisation's contributions reflect its own independent perspectives and insights. Their inputs were later combined to enhance the robustness of the article while maintaining the integrity of their individual viewpoints.
India has the potential to emerge as a global leader in the biochar market. Adrien and Asitava highlighted that the country’s abundant feedstock supply and well-established agricultural sector create a strong foundation for industry growth. Coupled with promising policy developments and an innovation-driven approach, India is well-positioned to scale its biochar industry and make a significant global impact.
Like Latin America, India’s highly developed agricultural sector generates an immense volume of biomass yearly. With the world’s largest croplands, India ranks second globally in biomass surplus availability. However, a significant portion of this agricultural residue is still disposed of through stubble burning—a practice that releases substantial carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. Asitava and Adrien emphasise that this challenge presents a major opportunity: biochar offers a sustainable alternative by transforming waste that would otherwise be burned into a valuable resource.
Asitava highlights the co-benefits of biochar, notably its role in improving soil health and water retention: “Biochar offers solutions to critical challenges like crop residue burning, soil degradation, and water scarcity.” By integrating biochar into agricultural practices, Indian farmers could enhance soil productivity and create an additional revenue stream while mitigating environmental damage.
Picture 1: Circonomy project
Adrien further underscores biochar’s potential to combat soil degradation—one of Indian agriculture’s most pressing challenges—exacerbated by heavy reliance on synthetic fertilisers and soil exhaustion. As a soil amendment, biochar could play a crucial role in restoring fertility and strengthening the long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector.
Beyond agriculture, both experts agree that India’s biochar potential extends to other industries that generate abundant feedstock. The agroforestry sector, for instance, primarily produces wooden biomass, while cotton residue represents another largely untapped source. Since these feedstocks have limited valorisation, converting them into biochar is a significant step toward sustainability. Additionally, invasive plant species such as Lantana camara and Prosopis juliflora—which contribute to biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and water depletion—are now being explored as promising biochar feedstocks, further broadening opportunities for the sector.
Beyond its abundant feedstock opportunities, emerging policy developments support India’s biochar sector and provide a growing foundation for its expansion.
Picture 2: CEEW-CRIA Stakeholder Consultation on Scaling Durable CDR in India (8 Nov, 2024)
While no policies explicitly mention biochar, it is encompassed within several broader government initiatives. Asitava highlights that biochar aligns with national priorities and promotion schemes such as the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and the Central Sector Scheme on Crop Residue Management. Given its potential to mitigate large-scale stubble burning, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare has been urged to establish more precise guidelines for its adoption. Asitava stresses the need to enhance biochar integration by increasing awareness, standardising practices, and ensuring accessibility across different regions of India.
India’s shift toward sustainability in agriculture presents a key opportunity for biochar. Policymakers have been exploring carbon credit trading schemes (CCTSs), leading the central government to initiate the development of a national scheme. Additionally, according to Asitava, biochar has been formally recognised in the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) as an effective carbon sequestration method, driving further interest and the development of frameworks and methodologies.
These policies reinforce biochar’s credibility and lay the groundwork for more substantial governmental support. With existing initiatives creating entry points for future policies, India’s biochar sector is well-positioned for further growth and institutional backing.
Another key strength of India’s biochar sector is its innovative approach to biochar carbon removal projects. Currently, the majority of biochar carbon removal projects are dominated by artisanal low-tech initiatives such as Varaha, Carboneers, and Circonomy. However, both Asitava and Adrien highlight India’s gradual shift toward mid- and high-tech projects. The demand for closed equipment is increasing as it ensures consistent quality and enhances operational efficiency.
An example of that trend is Mash Makes, a project developer that has shown the potential for success in large-scale and high-tech production. With its slogan, "Think fast. Think big. Think gigaton." Mash Makes is an example of a company moving towards industrial-scale biochar initiatives.
Picture 3: Artisanal biochar (Circonomy)
Biochar has long been produced in certain Indian communities using artisanal methods such as makeshift kilns or stoves. While government projects still primarily support low-tech production, Asitava notes that the rise of biochar start-ups is driving the adoption of advanced, high-tech production methods. Highlighting biochar’s long-term carbon storage potential and durability is essential to fostering wider adoption and attracting investment in the sector.
Asitava also shares an innovative example of smallholder farmers integrating biochar into their practices. Takachar, a member of CRIA, has developed a portable biochar production system that can be easily transported between farms. With strong research backing from MIT, Takachar aims to decentralise bio-product production, making biochar accessible even to smaller communities that can process crop residues in small batches. Their IoT-based control systems and user-friendly approach exemplify India’s growing focus on technological innovation in biochar production.
While India’s biochar sector holds great potential, several key challenges must be addressed to ensure sustainable growth. Asitava and Adrien emphasise the need for greater awareness, substantial market incentives, and enhanced industry preparedness to support long-term growth.
Despite the sector’s promise, biochar remains relatively under-recognised, limiting its widespread adoption. The absence of potent market catalysts, such as targeted subsidies or incentive programmes, hampers its commercialisation. Furthermore, India’s biochar industry is not yet fully prepared for rapid expansion or competition from other biomass-based solutions, which could challenge its long-term viability. Addressing these barriers is pivotal to ensuring the sector can scale effectively while maintaining its environmental and economic benefits.
Adrien and Asitiva agree that insufficient awareness of the co-benefits of biochar production and application remains a significant barrier to widespread adoption. Raising awareness among key stakeholders is essential for attracting investment and shaping effective governance frameworks. However, knowledge gaps persist across multiple sectors, slowing progress and limiting the industry's ability to scale efficiently. We can see awareness issues on three different levels: the agricultural, the governance and the investment level.
At the production level, many farmers remain unaware of biochar’s benefits and its role in carbon sequestration. This results in limited adoption in the agricultural sector despite biochar’s proven advantages in certain communities. For now, widespread implementation remains more of an aspiration than a reality.
Asitava stresses the need for technical education among agricultural stakeholders, as the lack of clear scientific evidence hinders growth, especially at the industrial scale. Producers and investors remain hesitant without verified data on biochar’s large-scale effectiveness. Adrien, however, sees this challenge as an “easy fix”, arguing that empowering local leaders with the proper knowledge and skills can quickly accelerate biochar adoption within rural communities
Awareness needs to improve significantly at the policy level. Current biochar initiatives primarily focus on carbon offsetting rather than its agricultural benefits, which could further drive farmer adoption. Increased awareness among policymakers would help bridge policy gaps and encourage more research and innovation.
This is where CRIA plays a critical role. Asitava explains that CRIA actively educates policymakers on durable carbon removals, including biochar, by providing research, knowledge tools, and awareness-building initiatives. As an independent body, CRIA fosters trust among rural communities, the wider public, development banks, and corporate investors.
Picture 4: CRIA at the IETA Asia Climate Summit–Panel discussion on the role of CDR in achieving net-zero targets.
At the investment level, buyers often focus on the financial and carbon credit aspects of biochar projects. Many, however, remain limited in direct engagement with the supported projects. Adrien points out that this is mainly due to the reliance on science and CO2-focused frameworks - which often exclude the many related co-benefits of biochar production. They often have an existing conception of what biochar is and what it can do. These conceptions are not explicitly focused on the additional benefits. These framed conceptions hinder investment and slow corporate confidence in the sector’s potential.
A significant barrier to India’s biochar sector is the absence of market catalysts—key elements that drive investment, standardisation, and large-scale adoption. These factors are essential for scaling the biochar industry and enabling it to compete with global markets.
The first absent market catalyst is large-scale production capacity, which is critical for industrial biochar projects. Asitava explains that large production facilities require substantial capital investment, particularly for industrial biochar. However, logistical challenges, a lack of government subsidies, and financial constraints limit investment, allowing simpler alternatives like chemical fertilisers to remain dominant. To ensure sustainable and effective scaling of biochar facilities and projects, other market drivers, such as feedstock diversity, infrastructural challenges and certification standards, must be adequately enhanced first.
Current research also reflects this issue, as studies primarily focus on small-scale biochar projects, which remain the most common systems in India. Adrien agrees, emphasising that low-tech, low-cost projects often appear less attractive to investors than large-scale industrial operations. This perception persists even though achieving the same carbon removal capacity typically requires a much lower investment with low-tech projects. The complexity of working with numerous smallholders and a lack of understanding of the existing infrastructure contribute to investors favouring more industrialised approaches. Often overlooked is the fact that India already has a well-developed infrastructure network for supplying and exporting agricultural products from the very same fields where biochar is produced.
Adrien explained his view on the strategy to success for large-scale industrial projects. He distinguished three key conditions:
1. The establishment of a mature biochar market, currently growing rapidly but still in its early stages,
2. Strong demand for CDR credits with long-term offtake agreements, and…
3. A secure and long-term supply of feedstock at low and stable prices
Starting with low-tech, low-cost solutions offers a strategic advantage by rapidly engaging a vast number of smallholder farmers, raising awareness, and laying the foundation for a functioning biochar market in India. These initiatives are particularly impactful in rural areas where agricultural waste has little alternative use and competition for biomass remains low. By building these initial market structures and proving viability, we create the ideal conditions to de-risk and pave the way for more extensive industrial biochar facilities in the near future.
Navigating the complex landscape of biochar certification is a critical challenge. Various certification frameworks exist, including methodologies published by Puro.Earth, Verra, or Carbon Standards International (CSI). Each has its own criteria for assessing the impact of carbon removal projects. Comparing projects across different standards is challenging for buyers, investors, or even project developers. Decision-making and investment choices are hampered. A more harmonised approach to these certifications would clarify and facilitate market growth instead of the current fragmentation.
Picture 5: Biochar Workshops (Circonomy)
India’s diverse feedstocks may also present a challenge in standardisation, mainly for large-scale centralised projects, as biochar properties vary based on the raw materials used. While uniform standards may struggle to accommodate this variability, their absence creates an uneven playing field, making establishing a transparent, competitive market difficult. Decentralised projects often enjoy similar cropping patterns in the different areas in which they are active.
Recognising this need, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare (MoA&FW) has begun developing methodologies, guidance, and standardised practices for biochar production. Asitava stresses the importance of government support in formalising local standards, which would strengthen Indian biochar producers both domestically and internationally.
Adrien highlights the particular challenges artisanal biochar producers face, as they lack proper support and certification frameworks. One promising solution, however, is Carbon Standard International (CSI). CSI offers greater flexibility and adaptability, making it well-suited to India’s artisanal market. While still relatively new, it presents a convenient and effective option for small-scale producers under the C-sink Manager, who oversees the whole group's certification and compliance with operations.
Adrien also notes that the main certification challenge extends beyond credibility between producers and buyers. According to him, a major hurdle is maintaining consistency and adherence to the standards throughout the production process, especially in more decentralised models like Global Artisan C-Sink from CSI. Scaling this approach requires empowering large numbers of smallholders and equipping local leaders with the necessary tools, skills, and technology to monitor and control projects effectively.
Ensuring production consistency across a widely distributed network demands robust and seamless SOPs and a transparent, reliable, and scalable monitoring system to track performances and ensure compliance. This is critical to guaranteeing project efficiency and long-term success.
Picture 6: Circonomy Artisanal biochar project
Another challenge for India’s biochar sector is its lack of preparedness for a sudden surge in market demand. Adrien and Asitava highlight key issues that must be addressed to ensure the industry can scale effectively.
First, India’s heavy reliance on external technology supply poses a significant risk. Like Latin America, India depends on imported biochar technologies from other regions. However, Adrien sees this as unsustainable for a country of India’s scale. With the world’s largest croplands and the second-largest biomass availability, India cannot afford to rely solely on foreign technology. Instead, the development of national technology providers is essential. Encouragingly, more Indian pyrolysis-technology developers are recognising the potential of the biochar market and beginning to step up to meet demand.
Second, infrastructural barriers remain a major bottleneck. Although the biochar sector can enjoy India’s well-developed infrastructure network for transporting the residues (as it needs this road network to transport its large number of agricultural commodities), infrastructure for valorising the feedstock remains underdeveloped.
Feedstock aggregation can pose a significant challenge, especially for large-scale projects, explaining the current dominance of low-tech and decentralised projects. Feedstock availability naturally fluctuates with cropping cycles and seasons, making it challenging to maintain a consistent monthly volume of carbon credits. Adrien advocates for an increased distribution network approach, which might offer key advantages as it allows for diversification across multiple locations and feedstock types. He argues that locally, biochar production can be optimised while ensuring a more stable and scalable global credit supply.
Domestic technology development, infrastructure improvements, and streamlined supply chains will be critical for India's biochar industry to meet rising demand. Addressing these challenges will strengthen the biochar sector and enhance the overall efficiency of India’s biomass-based industries.
A final barrier to the growth of India’s biochar market is competition from other biomass-based solutions. While innovation in bio-solutions is crucial, the intra-sector competition among different approaches to biomass utilisation can sometimes detract from the shared goal of advancing sustainable waste management, valorising abundant feedstocks, and creating economic opportunities for local communities.
Rather than viewing biochar as a competitor to other bio-solutions, coordinated efforts and fair competition policies are essential to ensure that all sustainable innovations can effectively tackle climate challenges. A collaborative approach that aligns diverse bio-solutions with broader environmental and economic goals will be key to driving meaningful change across sectors
Picture 7: Indian farmers
India’s biochar market is currently dominated by small-scale and low-tech producers, a pattern seen in many emerging markets. However, the number of startups focusing on high-tech biochar production has surged in recent years, pushing the industry toward innovation and scalability.
Despite this momentum, large corporate players and major investors have been slow to engage, even though investment potential has never been higher, as CRIA has observed. Asitava again points to Mash Makes as an example of how corporate success in biochar could be replicated in India.
Adrien, however, sees another pathway for scaling the market: leveraging existing small-scale projects. Rather than focusing solely on industrialisation, he believes that first building a strong market among current producers is a more practical and scalable approach. Further developing local market structures and certification standards like CSI will be crucial for India's biochar sector to gain credibility and expand. The approach mirrors what has worked in Latin America, where regional standards have already strengthened market integration and investor confidence.
Picture 8: Artisanal Biochar Education (Circonomy)
India’s carbon market is undergoing rapid development, bringing both opportunities and uncertainties for the biochar sector. Asitava explains that while the market holds immense potential, it remains unregulated and outside direct government oversight. This lack of regulation makes it difficult for biochar producers to rely on carbon trading as a stable revenue stream.
However, growing government interest in creating a structured framework is promising. Biochar’s inclusion in national sustainability discussions, particularly in carbon credit trading schemes, reflects its increasing recognition as a viable solution. Asitava highlights:
“The administrative body of the upcoming Indian Carbon Credit Trading Scheme [CCTS] recently announced a list of approved technologies under the scheme, which included biochar under the agriculture and waste management sectors.”
Despite this progress, uncertainty remains about how the CCTS will integrate with global carbon markets. On one hand, its development could open significant opportunities for biochar producers and investors. On the other, the lack of clear policies and alignment with international standards raises questions about how competitive and accessible the Indian market will be globally.
For the market to evolve effectively, policymakers must address these regulatory gaps by establishing coherent frameworks that provide stability and demonstrate government commitment to sustainable agriculture. Aligning with international certification schemes and global standards will be key to enhancing India's credibility in the international biochar market.
India occupies a unique position in the global biochar market. While domestic demand remains weak, export activity increases as producers turn to international buyers. Adrien and Asitava point to low awareness as a significant factor behind this imbalance. Despite growing interest in biochar, the domestic buyer market is virtually nonexistent. Raising awareness about biochar’s multiple co-benefits and showcasing success stories remains critical. This low demand could also be attributed to India not being included in Annexe I of the Paris Agreement, leading to local companies facing less pressure to enter the voluntary carbon markets.
Picture 9: Gathering of biochar feedstock (Circonomy)
With limited local demand, many Indian biochar producers rely on international markets. They sell carbon credits abroad to access well-established carbon trading systems. While demand and awareness are less of an issue in global markets, they remain critical challenges within India, slowing the sector’s national growth.
Incentivising domestic production and consumption is essential to fully establishing a self-sustaining Indian biochar market. Research and innovation hubs like CRIA are crucial in bridging the gap between producers and consumers, fostering local market development, and ensuring India becomes a key player in the global biochar industry.
Asitava and Adrien are optimistic about the future of biochar in India, emphasising the need for more substantial policy support and investment security. The government must develop subsidies and integrate biochar into existing programmes as a crucial next step. Supporting both small-scale and industrial producers will help scale the sector. At the same time, initiatives like the carbon credit trading scheme (CCTS) can serve as a blueprint for a more structured biochar market.
Although low-tech and artisanal projects currently dominate, Asitava sees an increasing number of high-tech biochar ventures emerging. Organisations like CRIA are key players in raising awareness and driving innovation, while novel applications—such as using biochar in construction materials—are gaining traction, as Carbon Strong’s work shows.
Adrien stresses the importance of streamlining (d)MRV processes to make biochar more accessible, affordable and impactful. At Circonomy, efforts focus on creating a digital platform to support project developers and local communities by de-risking biochar production and ensuring high-quality carbon removal credits. He also highlights opportunities beyond agriculture, particularly in India’s F&B and textile industries. Companies could invest in decarbonising their own value chain through in-setting programmes. This approach enhances their resilience and promotes a regenerative future, contributing to soil health and carbon sequestration.
With growing innovation, expanding applications, and improving policies, India has the potential to become a global leader in biochar.
Picture 10: Asitava speaking at the Carbon Reset Summit: South Asia’s first durable CDR-focused event.
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