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, utilizi...