[Stoves] [biochar-policy] Report on APBC - first two days

Lloyd Helferty lhelferty at sympatico.ca
Fri Sep 16 21:18:32 CDT 2011


A fantastic report, Ron!  Thank you very much.
Having just been in Japan (Yokohama) a little over a week ago, I can 
vouch for it being a "cash economy", however they do accept credit cards 
almost everywhere too (~ and it is possible -- @ about 1 out of 4 bank 
machines -- to get a cash advance from your credit card...).
I wish I could have stayed on longer and learned from the best in Japan. 
I know that they have a very long history of using Biochar going all the 
way back to the use of the Noborigama 登り窯 chambered "climbing kilns" 
in Kyoto.
(see, for instance, http://wn.com/climbing_kiln video #2)
   (Will you have a chance to visit them?  I believe that some can be 
found at the former /*Imperial Palace*/ on the west side of Kyoto. I 
remember visiting them when I was in Kyoto about 10 years ago -- they 
are/were used for firing Raku pottery.)

   I've heard that Japanese organic coffee farmers are already heavy 
users of a biochar-bokashi mix [~they ferment the waste coffee berry 
meat with bokashi organisms and mix that with charcoal to produce a 
superior fertilizer], as are Korean Natural Farmers, apparently [they 
are also using Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO)].
  (Unfortunately information about its use hasn't been disseminated much 
beyond their own borders up until now... but, hopefully "technology 
transfer" and scientific exchange will begin in earnest from this point 
forward.)

I would suggest that you try to find time to *visit a Garden Centre*** 
while you are there. You will likely find that Biochar or "charcoal" is 
being sold to consumers [and others] along with the rest of the 
different "soil amendments"...
  (**The founder of /5ivePlanets/ <http://5iveplanets.ning.com/> in 
Yokohama told me that she was able to get some Biochar from her local 
garden centre in that city in order to make some "promotional materials" 
for her event...)

I really wish I could have been there with you, but this is one event 
that I really could not afford to attend (unless I had miraculously been 
sponsored to go).
Glad to hear that Tom Miles (and family), John M, and Karl  F. are there 
with you. No surprise about all the folks from Australia (CSIRO) being 
there... & it's good to know there are some people from Europe there; 
and others from the US ~ along with the "researchers from the 
Philippines, Korea, and Uganda".
I know of ZERO people from Canada who are attending this, unfortunately. 
(I'll have to check the online at the APBC site).

It would be great if Biochar could get some serious funding from 
organization like the ADB and/or FAO. [!]

Great to hear about the success of “PacPyro” (formerly /BEST Energies/ 
Australia) too!

   Lloyd Helferty, Engineering Technologist
   Principal, Biochar Consulting (Canada)
   www.biochar-consulting.ca
   603-48 Suncrest Blvd, Thornhill, ON, Canada
   905-707-8754; 647-886-8754 (cell)
      Skype: lloyd.helferty
   Steering Committee member, Canadian Biochar Initiative
   President, Co-founder&  CBI Liaison, Biochar-Ontario
     Advisory Committee Member, IBI
   http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1404717
   http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42237506675
   http://groups.google.com/group/biochar-ontario
   http://www.meetup.com/biocharontario/
   http://grassrootsintelligence.blogspot.com
    www.biochar.ca

Biochar Offsets Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=2446475
"Necessity may be the mother of invention, but innovators need to address problems before they become absolute necessities..."


On 2011-09-16 6:48 PM, rongretlarson at comcast.net wrote:
>
>
> Biochar and stoves lists:
>
>   This to provide a short recap of the first two days of the Asian 
> Pacific Biochar Conference (APBC2011)
>
>   Maybe 100 persons here – maybe 75 to 80 percent Japanese..
>
>   Regular contributors to these two lists who are here include Tom 
> Miles (and wife and son),  John Miedema,  and Karl Frogner.  Apologies 
> to other list members I don't recognize.  At least 10 other people I 
> judge from Australia (Stephen Joseph, Lukas van Zwieten, Adraian 
> Downie, and Annett Cowie being some I knew previously).   The final 
> Plenary speaker of first day was Evelyn Krull  who gave a wonderful 
> description of the great Biochar work going on in Australia (all or 
> mostly CSIRO??).   They are working with 104 different chars – and 
> identifying what makes each unique  (temperature, species, etc)
>
>     I know two here from Europe – maybe a few more.   Others from US 
> (not or rarely writing to these lists are IBI's Debbie Reed and 
> Johannes Lehmann).  The names of presenters are available at the APBC 
> site.  Two stoves/Biochar list contributors who are in program but 
> couldn't make it are Kelpie Wilson and Jason Aramburo  (and who are 
> missed).
>
>    The first day,  Thursday, was in both Japanese and English – with 
> everyone having earphones for the alternating translation need.  The 
> outstanding talk for me was by IBI's Debbie Reed – giving an exciting 
> summary of the growth of IBI.  About 11,000 hits on the website per 
> month now - and 50% are new first time users each month.  Still plenty 
> of growth in Biochar technical literature, etc.  Debbie gave more 
> background and status on the forthcoming IBI draft standards.  Last 
> night, I attended part of an ad hoc meeting on the standards – which 
> should be available within weeks at the IBI site (for four weeks 
> comment period).    Obviously a lot of work has gone into these 
> standards – but a lot more still to be done.
>
>    Yesterday was all in 20 minute presentations in three parallel 
> tracks.  The majority of the papers seemed to be soil-production 
> related.  Unfortunately (my giving a talk) I missed several coming 
> from Lukas van Zwieten's NSW group on success with N20 capture, but he 
> says that is showing continued importance.  Quite a few talks that 
> relate to the Science article by Dr. Wardle;  no firm answers yet – 
> but conversely I heard nothing that supports the Wardle contention 
> that Biochar causes excess CO2 release.   Adriana Downie gave several 
> talks on her progress towards a new “PacPyro” firm that has just 
> received a major multi-million grant and is going public.  I enjoyed a 
> talk on LCA given by CSIRO's Annette Cowie.
>
>    Today I expect to learn a lot more about Japanese Biochar work as 
> we get back to a single Plenary format and translation. Much evidence 
> of Japan having done Biochar work for a long time – with a 
> government-sanctioned program since the 1980's.   Also Johannes is 
> scheduled for 40 minutes.
>
>    Many new people to meet.  Have enjoyed especially two potential 
> funders from the ADB and FAO and researchers from the Philippines, 
> Korea, and Uganda.  And of course many from Japan.
>
>     The city of Kyoto is exceptionally modern and well maintained – a 
> major tourist town.  Prices seem close to double those I am used to.  
> A cash economy – with my having major difficulties with no (presently 
> valid) ATM card!  Thanks to three listed above who could take my check 
> in exchange for Yen!
>
>     Questions?
>
> Ron
>
>
>
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