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Carbonfuture, Exomad Green, and Microsoft Sign One of the Largest Biochar Carbon Removal Deals To-Date

A collection of photos showing the work of Exomad Green and Carbonfuture

Carbonfuture Announces Innovative Offtake Collaboration with Exomad Green and Microsoft for Large-Scale Biochar Carbon Removal

Innovative Collaboration to Scale Significant Carbon Dioxide Removal and Local Community Empowerment

December 13, 2023 — FREIBURG, Germany — Carbonfuture has signed an offtake agreement with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), to supply biochar carbon removal (“BCR”) credits from the Exomad Green Concepción project located in Bolivia. The Exomad Green Concepción project is on track to deliver over 32,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide removal credits to Microsoft by June 2024, contributing towards Microsoft’s carbon-negative sustainability goal.

This agreement is a step towards further validating BCR as a promising technology pathway for meeting corporate sustainability goals. Exomad Green’s facility in Concepción, Bolivia, transforms forestry waste into biochar. Since this forestry waste would have otherwise been burned, the project expects significant co-benefits from this offtake agreement beyond carbon management, which include: reducing health and fire risks from open burning and mitigating deforestation via sustainable timber management practices. Further, the Exomad Green project should contribute to bolstering farming practices in indigenous communities by providing biochar for agriculture, which improves soil fertility.

 

Carbonfuture's MRV+ process ensures a digital-first, high standard in tracking biochar carbon removal. Each biochar batch at Exomad’s Concepción facility is uniquely identified and meticulously tracked from production to application, ensuring additional transparency related to CO2 Removal Certificate delivery to Microsoft. The project will follow compliance with the Puro Standard, a leading carbon removal standard that provides science-based quantification methodologies for durable carbon removal technologies.

Carbonfuture Announces Innovative Offtake Collaboration with Exomad Green and Microsoft for Large-Scale Biochar Carbon Removal (Press Release)

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“We are excited to work with Carbonfuture to support carbon removal through purchasing high-quality carbon removal credits. With the Exomad Green project, we are able to realize carbon removal with important co-benefits to local communities and ecosystems.”

– Brian Marrs, Senior Director, Energy & Carbon Removal at Microsoft

The Exomad Green project with Carbonfuture and Microsoft is more than just a carbon removal initiative; it's a testament to our commitment to environmental sustainability and community empowerment. We're proud to contribute to a solution that not only addresses global carbon challenges but also tangibly enhances the lives of local communities in Bolivia while contributing to the reduction in deforestation linked to soil degradation.”

– Diego Justiniano, CEO of Exomad Green

"Our collaboration with Microsoft and Exomad is a positive step forward for the carbon removal industry and represents a critical step in accelerating the transition to a sustainable, net-zero future. Carbonfuture’s approach, rooted in transparency and quality, ensures high-integrity carbon removal. With this collaboration, we are not just removing carbon; we are contributing to environmental responsibility and societal impact."

– Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture

Bolivia

Location

32.000

tCO2e Capacity

2024

Delivery

PROJECT SHOWCASE

Co-Benefits: Supporting Indigenous Livelihoods and Preserving 
Forests in Bolivia

Through the carbon finance generated, Exomad Green provides free biochar to smallholder farmers in Bolivia. This initiative benefits the local communities and ecosystems by:

Enhancing Soil Quality for Economic and Environmental Gains

Smallholders in Bolivia's Concepción region are tackling poor soil quality with the help of free biochar. The introduction of biochar significantly enhances soil fertility, leading to higher crop yields and improved water retention, crucial for arid conditions. By using biochar, farmers can move away from expensive and environmentally harmful synthetic fertilizers, promoting both economic resilience and environmental sustainability.

Farmers using BiocharFarmers using Biochar
The Bolivian rainforestA photo showing logging activiites

Tackling Commodity-Driven Deforestation

Exomad Green’s biochar distribution is key to combating the extensive deforestation driven by agricultural expansion in Bolivia. Between 2001 and 2021, a staggering 82% of the 3.32 million hectares of lost tree cover resulted from large-scale, commodity-driven deforestation linked to commercial agricultural expansion. With biochar, farmers see improved crop productivity and decreased mortality, reducing the pressure to clear more forests for land for farming. Collaborative field trials with the Centro de Investigacion Agricola Tropical have already demonstrated significant yield gains, marking a crucial step towards sustainable land use and deforestation prevention.

The Exomad Green FacilityWood used for the operations

Addressing Air Quality and Fire Hazards with Sustainable Biomass Waste Management

In Bolivia, the common practice of open burning of timber mill residues poses risks to communities and the environment. Exomad confronts this issue through contained pyrolysis of timber waste residues. This approach, funded by carbon finance, eliminates the need for harmful open burning. It effectively reduces air pollution, cuts down health risks, and minimizes the threat of urban and uncontrolled wildfires. This sustainable waste management solution also ensures that mill structures are safer and the air cleaner, bringing environmental justice to the region.

This innovative collaboration between Carbonfuture, Microsoft, and Exomad marks a notable milestone towards a net-zero future. By combining carbon removal technology, rigorous digital tracking, and a strong focus on community benefits and ecosystem preservation, this collaboration underscores a shared vision of a just and livable future.