Kevin Steinberger, 2012, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Kevin Steinberger ’12

The goal of my internship this summer was to conduct research on biochar. The ­production of biochar, defined as a form of charcoal created from biomass and used for agricultural purposes, has recently been praised as a carbon negative ­technology, and represents a way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while ­simultaneously improving soil quality in some cases. Biochar has the potential to ­significantly ­reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the long-term storage of carbon in soils. I reviewed the current literature on biochar and started to create an Excel ­model to explore all the assumptions and variables involved in a life cycle analysis of the ­production of biochar. I then wrote a scientific report, that focuses on ­understanding the conditions under which favorable economic and environmental results can be achieved, by discussing all of the economic factors involved and examining the ­assumptions behind these factors. With future research, I think biochar ­production may emerge as an economically profitable way to mitigate climate change, and I am really excited to continue working on this project with my advisor, Dr. Eric ­Larson. My senior thesis will focus on designing a process to optimize the energy and char yields during biochar production.