This lifecycle assessment compares advanced pyrolysis configurations for converting agricultural residue into biochar and syngas, evaluating energy return on investment, emissions profile, and the downstream agronomic value of the resulting biochar as a soil amendment.
Slow-pyrolysis configurations produced higher-value biochar suited to soil amendment, while fast-pyrolysis configurations favoured syngas yield for direct energy use — meaning the optimal configuration depends heavily on which output a given enterprise intends to monetise.
Funded by the Nordic Development Fund, the study provides enterprise-level guidance for selecting pyrolysis configurations aligned to local agricultural residue streams and target markets.