Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Analysis of Biochar from Invasive Plants as a Sustainable Material for Low-Carbon Architecture
Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) pose significant environmental, ecological, and economic challenges across the globe, affecting biodiversity, water availability, and land productivity. Traditional management practices focus on eradication and maintenance, often with high financial implications and minimal value creation. However, recent research highlights that converting IAP biomass into biochar through pyrolysis presents a dual opportunity: mitigating negative ecological impacts and enabling long-term carbon sequestration. This study explores the technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of biochar production from IAPs, comparing it to conventional carbon capture and storage (CCS) strategies.
Pyrolysis Technologies for Biochar Production
Different pyrolysis technologies—semi-batch retort (SBR), vertical retort (VR), and indirect retort (IR)—offer varying efficiency and cost dynamics in biochar production. These systems were found to be largely energy self-sufficient, utilizing pyrolysis vapors for fuel, but also faced considerable energy losses. Comparative analysis revealed efficiencies of 94.9% (SBR), 73.8% (VR), and 80.7% (IR), positioning them as viable candidates for sustainable biochar production. This assessment is critical for identifying the most suitable technology for large-scale application in architectural and agricultural contexts.
Comparative Assessment with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Biochar production was benchmarked against CCS retrofitting in coal-fired power plants to evaluate relative efficiency and feasibility. While CCS reduced plant efficiency by 10%, pyrolysis systems maintained energy self-sufficiency. The results demonstrate that biochar not only matches CCS in carbon sequestration potential but also provides additional ecological benefits, such as soil amendment and fertility improvement. Thus, biochar emerges as a more sustainable and decentralized alternative to large-scale CCS deployment.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Outcomes
The LCA revealed global warming potentials of 3.48, 3.35, and 3.41 kg CO2eq for SBR, VR, and IR systems respectively, in sequestering 1 kg of carbon, compared to 3.08 kg CO2eq for CCS. These findings suggest that biochar systems perform comparably with CCS, but with the added advantage of ecological restoration and soil improvement. The LCA outcomes also stress the importance of considering energy flows, emissions, and secondary benefits when evaluating carbon mitigation technologies.
Economic Viability of Biochar vs. CCS
Economic analysis indicated that the cost of carbon sequestration was significantly higher for CCS (US$678/Mg CO2eq) than for biochar technologies such as IR (US$471/Mg CO2eq) and SBR (US$556/Mg CO2eq). Although VR pyrolysis showed the highest cost (US$1084/Mg CO2eq), the overall results reinforce the potential of biochar to provide a cost-effective pathway for carbon sequestration. This economic feasibility opens avenues for scaling biochar production within circular economy models, especially in regions heavily burdened by invasive species.
Implications for Sustainable Practices and Future Research
The findings underline the potential of biochar derived from IAPs to contribute meaningfully to global climate goals, while simultaneously offering ecological and economic benefits. For architects, urban planners, and environmental designers, this research highlights biochar’s potential integration into sustainable building and landscape systems. Future research can expand on testing biochar in construction materials, evaluating long-term soil impacts, and developing policy frameworks that incentivize biochar adoption as part of climate-resilient urban infrastructure strategies.
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#InvasivePlants
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#Sustainability
#CircularEconomy
#GreenArchitecture
#EcoDesign
#ClimateAction
#CarbonNeutral
#SoilAmendment
#RenewableEnergy
#SustainableMaterials
#EnvironmentalImpact
#CarbonCredits
#NetZero
#LifeCycleAssessment
#EcoInnovation
#EnergyEfficiency
#SustainableFuture
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