Science-Backed Carbon Removal: New Insights on Methane Emissions from Kon-Tiki Systems

Dear ,

We are pleased to share a major scientific advancement in the field of biochar and carbon removal. A recent study published in GCB Bioenergy provides long-awaited, robust data on methane emissions and carbon balance in artisanal biochar production:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcbb.70108

For years, the Kon-Tiki flame-curtain kiln has been recognized as a promising, low-cost solution for decentralized carbon sequestration. This new research now provides strong scientific validation of its climate performance.

Key Findings

The study compares flame-curtain pyrolysis with open burning, which remains the common baseline practice for agricultural residues in many tropical regions.

• Significant Emission Reductions
Replacing open burning with Kon-Tiki pyrolysis leads to consistently lower emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH₄), particularly for feedstocks such as wheat straw.

• Critical Moisture Threshold (≤15%)
Feedstock moisture content plays a decisive role. When moisture levels are at or below 15%, methane emissions are significantly reduced (<5 g/kg biochar).

• Temperature Matters
Methane emissions decrease exponentially with increasing pyrolysis temperature, highlighting the importance of proper operational control.

• Net Climate Benefit
When properly managed, Kon-Tiki systems demonstrate clear potential as an effective transitional technology for decentralized Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR).

What This Means for the Global Artisan C-Sink Standard

We are excited to announce that these findings will be integrated into the next version of the Global Artisan C-Sink Standard, scheduled for publication in the coming months. Smallholder farmers play a critical role in climate action, and this update further empowers their participation in high-integrity carbon removal initiatives.

Important Notice on Methane Values and Moisture Measurement

Please note that extensive moisture measurement is required to qualify for lower methane emission values. A new standardized methodology for moisture measurement will be published soon.

We would also like to emphasize that these methane values are not yet official and will only become applicable once the updated version of the Global Artisan C-Sink Standard is formally released.

We appreciate your understanding and encourage all stakeholders to prepare for the upcoming methodological update.

Upcoming Webinar

To further explore these findings, there will be a whitepaper published to explain the implications in more detail, followed by a dedicated webinar on the publication and its integration into the standard. Further details will be shared soon.

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the Ithaka Institute, and especially to Simon Lotz, Nikolas Hagemann, Dirk Hölscher, and Hans-Peter Schmidt, for their outstanding contribution in advancing the scientific foundation of decentralized carbon removal.

This study was supported by our Artisan C-Sink Managers. We would like to share a thank you to Planboo (Stockholm, Sweden), Biodiversal Colombia (Bogotá, Colombia) and Cotierra Colombia (Bogotá, Colombia) for their invaluable support to this research.

Kind regards,

Your Team of Carbon Standards International AG

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