Evaluating the carbon finance potential of pyrolysed cocoa pod husk and cocoa tree prunings

About the project

UK-registered Partner: PyroGenesys LTD – Simon Ighofose
Africa-registered Partner: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – Laura Atuah

PyroGenesys visited cocoa grower projects in Ghana that are researching the effect of biochar application rate on cocoa yields. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in partnership with the University of Reading, led the field studies.

PyroGenesys was able to gather sufficient data from these field studies to evaluate the potential of the Ghanaian cocoa industry to remove carbon via the application of Biochar produced from cocoa tree trimmings. Feedback obtained from cocoa farmers and the Ghanaian Soil Research Institute (SRI) suggested that improvements to the methods of Biochar production practices are required to secure carbon finance. A follow-up project conducted by PyroGenesys will confirm whether Biochar produced in our patented Pyrochemy technology from cocoa tree trimmings, is EBC compliant for agricultural soil application and eligible for carbon finance.

Ghana is the world’s second largest cocoa producer. Findings from this project were therefore disseminated at the Energy Access Investment Forum held in Cote d’Ivoire (21-23 March), the world’s largest cocoa producer. The event served to bring PyroGenesys to the attention of Carbon Financiers and NGOs keen to develop carbon removal and energy access projects with PyroGenesys in cocoa growing communities across Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.