Varaha partners with Google for 100,000 biochar carbon removal credits

Varaha, an Indian startup company focusing on carbon removal projects in Asia, has entered into an agreement with Google to sell 100,000 carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits. These credits, generated from Varaha’s biochar project in Gujarat, are set to be delivered to Google by 2030. This transaction is among the largest purchases of biochar carbon removal credits to date and is Google’s first large-scale procurement of such credits in India.

“Biochar is a promising approach to carbon removal, because it has the ability to scale worldwide, using existing technology, with positive side effects for soil health,” said Randy Spock, Google’s carbon removal lead. “We’re excited to partner with Varaha in putting maximum rigor behind this approach and setting the right foundation to help it reach the scale needed by Google and the planet to enable a net zero emissions future.”

This agreement highlights several key aspects:

• It involves smallholder farmers in carbon removal initiatives, which could serve as a model for similar projects globally.

• It highlights the use of biochar as an agricultural input, as shown by Varaha’s contract to sell 1,300 tonnes of biochar produced by the project.

• It supports research on the utilization of invasive species, such as Prosopis Juliflora, as feedstock for biochar production.

Varaha has implemented 14 carbon projects in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Kenya, focusing on regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, biochar, and enhanced rock weathering, involving over 100,000 smallholder farmers in sustainable practices. The company has reported removing more than two million tonnes of CO2e from the atmosphere and was the first Indian project developer to issue biochar carbon removal credits under the Puro.Earth registry.

The project utilizes Varaha’s digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification system, supported by a 30-member science and technology team. It integrates remote sensing to track biomass availability and uses a mobile application to capture geo-tagged, time-stamped images of activities like biomass excavation and biochar application, ensuring adherence to Puro.Earth CDR registry standards.

This project will produce biochar from the biomass of the invasive plant species Prosopis Juliflora using a pyrolysis facility in Gujarat. The removal of this species will restore native grasslands previously used for livestock grazing.

“With Google’s support, Varaha is committed to scaling durable, high-quality carbon removal to benefit the most vulnerable smallholder families,” said Madhur Jain, CEO and co-founder of Varaha. “A contract for 100,000 carbon credits, while historic for the biochar sector, is small relative to the total needs of the planet. This contract paves the way for Varaha to serve other buyers of biochar credits in the coming 12 months and to set up more biochar pyrolysis facilities in other regions of India with abundant biomass feedstock.”

Varaha has conducted research on biomass, pyrolysis methods, temperatures, and production cycles to produce biochar with high permanence and stability, measured by its reflectance rate and Hydrogen-to-Carbon ratio. Using India’s abundant feedstock and lower costs, Varaha claims to achieve competitive production costs. The biochar is processed, mixed with bio-manure, and distributed or sold to nearby smallholder farmers for agricultural use.

Biochar is a stable carbon material capable of long-term carbon sequestration, with potential storage periods ranging from centuries to over a millennium. As demand for carbon removal credits grows, biochar is being considered for its affordability and durability.

Also read: Water based Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technology – Chat with CarbonBlue co-founder Dan Deviri