Silicon Valley-based carbon removal startup CarbonZero.Eco has launched its first commercial biochar production site in Colusa County, California, simultaneously announcing a landmark carbon removal credits purchase agreement with industry trailblazer Climeworks.
The carbon removal credits will be generated through the processing of CO2-dense agricultural waste into a biochar product that will then be used to enrich local soils for future crop cycles.
Founded by 17-year-old Harper Moss, CarbonZero.Eco partners with almond farmers across Colusa and Yolo Counties in California, utilizing agricultural waste like almond shells to produce high-quality biochar that provides a long-lasting carbon storage solution and agricultural benefits.
The company emerged out of stealth last year, having secured multi-million-dollar support from senior leaders at Google, Meta, and Amazon, as well as from CEOs of a number of other tech companies.
Since this breakthrough, the company has established agreements with a network of hundreds of almond farmers in California, aiming to remove up to 1.5 million tons of CO2 from agricultural waste that would otherwise be left to decompose in open air, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
California’s Central Valley region currently holds half a million tons of almond shells that are being burned or left to decompose. CarbonZero.Eco‘s operations in this area reduce this number to zero.
The company’s biochar product will also enhance the water retention in local soils, helping address the pressing issue of 500 Californian watersheds being drained each year.
According to the company, the biochar will not only lower the water usage requirements for farmers, but it will also contribute to 20% more water being retained in biochar-treated soils, hitting the key percentage needed to stop depleting water reservoirs.
Relevant: CarbonZero.eco To Advance Its Biochar Operations With $3.5M Seed Funding
CarbonZero.Eco’s first commercial biochar production facility is strategically located next to almond shell stockpiles, eliminating transportation needs and emissions. The biochar product created at the site will then be distributed to partnering farms, where it will be blended into compost.
Founder and CEO Harper Moss commented, “This facility represents a major step toward making carbon-negative agriculture both practical and profitable. By placing our first plant directly where agricultural waste is generated, we’re creating a closed-loop system that benefits farmers, the environment, and the climate.”
Read more: California Advances Bill To Promote Biomass In Climate Strategy
