Carbonscape

New developments for two companies.

by Bryan Walker December 13, 2010

We’ve frequently reported on the progress of NZ company Carbonscape (follow the Carbonscape tag) which makes charcoal using a microwave process. They’ve just announced what they describe as a world first in the production of the highly porous charcoal known as Activated Carbon (AC). “Using its patented continuous-flow microwave technology, Carbonscape™ has produced high-grade and [...]

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Days of future passed

by Bryan Walker October 6, 2010

The idea that a rise in global temperature of no more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels is a safe target for the world to aim for is widely accepted in political forums where the measures needed to stay within that range are considered. Not universally accepted though. The small island states and many others [...]

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Biochar: looking better all the time

by Bryan Walker August 5, 2010

Interesting biochar research is reported in a news release from the American Society of Agronomy.  An Australian research team has been testing the effects of biochar on nitrous oxide emission and nitrogen leaching from two different soil varieties. Their results are reported (no charge for this month) in the Journal of Environmental Quality. The study [...]

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Carbonscape and the new Victorians

by Bryan Walker January 2, 2010

Buried among the emails which accumulated while I was in hospital was one from Carbonscape, the NZ company working on biochar, drawing my attention to an article in the UK Sunday Times. It missed proper attention until I tidied up my inbox yesterday, but even a few weeks late I think it’s worth reporting, especially [...]

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Carbonscape update

by Bryan Walker April 16, 2009

As we mentioned in a recent post New Zealand company Carbonscape was shortlisted in the Financial Times competition to find the most innovative solution to the effects of climate change. It went into the final as judges’ favourite, but the nearly 15,000 visitors to the website chose another entry, the Kyoto Box from Kenya, a [...]

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Blenheim biochar gets global attention

by Bryan Walker March 19, 2009

Carbonscape, the New Zealand company working on making charcoal from a microwaving process discussed here and here on Hot Topic, has just announced that they are one of only five companies to make the shortlist in a global competition, the Financial Times’ Climate Change Challenge. The competition seeks the most innovative solution to the effects [...]

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Carbonscape and the charred potato

by Bryan Walker January 21, 2009

This column was published in the Waikato Times on 20 January A couple of months ago a young company called Carbonscape opened a new plant in Marlborough. It makes charcoal from wood waste, hardly an exciting matter one might think. But beyond its traditional use as a fuel, charcoal may hold enormous potential for a [...]

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Ice, Mud and Blood

by Bryan Walker January 11, 2009

In the recently published Ice, Mud and Blood: Lessons from Climates Past British geologist Chris Turney describes how scientists are building up knowledge of the earth’s climate in the past and what it might mean for our future.  He describes attending a showing of The Great Warming Swindle in Australia in 2007. He remarks on [...]

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Catch a (micro)wave

by Gareth October 1, 2008

There are some amazing people in NZ. Just when I’m tearing (what’s left of) my hair out at the idiocy of some politicians, along comes a news story to gladden the heart of anyone living in the real world. Yesterday, Blenheim-based start-up Carbonscape reported that it has just begun batch production of charcoal in a [...]

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