Wednesday, 14 May 2025
A new study, led by the 糖心原创’s Faculty of Engineering, has shown that converting food waste into biochar, a stable form of carbon, could lead to a reduction of 93,000 tonnes of CO鈧� each year by 2030.
The study, published in , and conducted as part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Phase 2 project in collaboration with Invica Industries, explores how converting food waste into biochar—a stable form of carbon—can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also improve soil quality.
The report demonstrates that converting food-waste digestate, a residue from biogas production, into biochar offers a low-cost, high-impact climate solution.
The UK continues to work toward its 2050 Net Zero target, with scalable and permanent greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies becoming increasingly essential alongside emissions reductions.
Results from the study show that each tonne of biochar can sequester up to 1.2 tonnes of CO鈧� equivalent, and co-locating production with anaerobic digestion plants, where food waste digestate is generated, could keep carbon removal costs below £100 per tonne, making it an affordable option for carbon capture. The biochar produced retains about 88% of its carbon content, effectively locking away approximately 1.15 to 1.20 tonnes of CO鈧� per tonne of biochar. Applying this biochar to agricultural soils can also enhance soil fertility and structure, also contributing to sustainable farming practices.
If implemented nationally, using 50% of the UK’s projected available food-waste digestate, this approach could sequester around 93,000 tonnes of CO鈧� annually by 2030. Despite challenges such as plastic contamination and fossil fuel inputs, this study highlights a promising GGR pathway that aligns with national climate targets by transforming organic waste into a stable carbon sink.
To process 50% of the UK's projected food waste digestate by 2030, 28 biochar production facilities would be required, each with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year.
Our research shows that food waste digestate, typically seen as a low-value, hard-to-use material, can be converted into a stable carbon sink through biochar production. This offers a cost-effective carbon removal pathway while turning a problematic waste stream into a valuable climate solution aligned with the UK鈥檚 emissions targets."
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More information is available from Disni Gamaralalage on Disni.Gamaralalage@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
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As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.