About Us
WE HEAT BIOMASS TO PRODUCE HIGHER VALUE PRODUCTS
Every plant-derived material (biomass) has carbon and a host of other useful chemicals stored within it. The challenge is to gather and crack that raw material into other more useful products. Restoration Bioproducts converts low value biomass, agricultural and forestry waste, by carefully heating it to a very high temperature in the absence of oxygen. This process results in biochar and syngas (the volatiles in the biomass). The syngas can either be burned to run the system or burned to produce power, or condensed to produce biooil and wood vinegar. The technology system we have developed to conduct the conversion is called SuRGE (Sustainable Renewable Gas Energy).
Biochar
With the carbon captured by the plants, and refined by the SuRGE Reactor, we now have high quality biochar ready for application as a soil amendment to improve fertility, yield, and water retention. Biochar can also be used in a host of filtering applications because it is particularly effective at trapping other materials like ammonia in animal bedding or nitrates in stormwater.
Wood Vinegar
Wood vinegar is primarily acetic acid, but it contains many other chemicals that have been documented by scientific studies to function as a fungicide. High strength (20% or more) acetic acid is sometimes used as a contact herbicide. Wood treated with wood vinegar is “acetylized” and scientific studies have shown a resistance to rot and insect damage.
Power or Heat
With the appropriate equipment, the syngas can be used to power a generator or a dryer, or even heat a building. At our Waverly plant we intend to produce 2.3 mw/year to offset power expenses at a nearby manufacturing plant.
Carbon Removal Credits
When biochar is used as a soil amendment or otherwise sequestered in building products or a landfill, it is almost permanently removed from the atmosphere. Our partner, Puro.Earth will validate and sell carbon removal credits to companies and individuals that wish to offset their emissions with this carbon dioxide removal method.