It has been over three years since I last contributed to Pellet Mill Magazine. Prior to that, I had been writing columns multiple times per year for a decade-plus, spanning the period during which the solid biofuels industry created and adopted industry standards. These standards include initiatives such as the creation of the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 238 suite of solid biofuel standards that are now referenced in nearly all solid biofuel export agreements, as well as the creation and implementation of the Pellet Fuels Institute and ENplus wood pellet quality certification schemes. As my articles often focused on providing updates on these developing standards, I found that as they matured, there was less to write about, so it was convenient for me to take a break. Fast forward to 2025, we are now on the cusp of needing to standardize an entirely new but related industry: biocarbon.For those who have been part of the biocarbon industry for many years, perhaps even decades, you may be thinking “But we already have standards.” &nbsp;This is true, but current biocarbon standards have significant problems and are in desperate need of an overhaul. This is similar to where we were with solid biofuel standards in 2007. At that time, solid biofuel standards were provided by a variety of regional entities but were not aligned. The solution was the creation of ISO TC 238 to be used by all countries with interest in solid biofuels to work together to create standards. Now, nearly 20 years later, the solid biofuels industry has a suite of standards that are recognized globally and have good methodological alignment (e.g., methods start with sampling and sample prep, which are referenced by each subsequent test method, and test methods also cross-reference each other to provide complete test packages).In contrast, let’s look at the most cited biocarbon standard. The International Biochar Initiative standards (published in 2015) reference test methods that are to be used when testing “biochar.” &nbsp;The problem with the IBI standards is that they reference methods from several different sources (ASTM International, AOAC International, &nbsp;TMECC, U.S. EPA and even from individual research papers), leading to poor methodological alignment. As a result, laboratories being asked to perform testing per the IBI standards need to decide for themselves how to best fulfill these methods, resulting in differences between laboratories. Not surprisingly, poor laboratory repeatability and reproducibility has been a commonly cited issue.Fortunately, a fix has been developing for a few years. While efforts had a slow start, they’re now quickly gaining momentum. In early 2021, ISO TC 238 first became aware of the biocarbon standards void. The following October, ISO TC 238 created Task Group 1 (TG1), with a mandate to map the need for biocarbon standards as part of the iron and steel sector. Over a two-year period, this effort expanded to biochar, biocarbon and biocoal, and in May 2024, the Technical Committee was renamed “ISO TC 238 – Solid Biofuels and Pyrogenic Biocarbon,” whereby ISO TC 238 now serves as the platform for creating ISO standards for these materials.The good news is that ISO TC 238 already has 47 published standards, which included thermally treated solid biofuels (e.g., torrefaction, steam explosion, hydrothermal carbonization and charring) in their initial design. Additionally, ISO TC 238 has six active working groups currently focused on reviewing each of the 47 test methods to revise them as needed to ensure they are useable for biocarbon materials. The bad news is that making revisions to ISO standards is a slow process, so it will likely be two to three years before these standards are fully updated to cover biocarbon applications. That said, it is still much quicker than the nearly 20 years it took to write and refine them as solid biofuel standards. &nbsp;While there is a lot of comfort in knowing that the biocarbon industry now has an ISO platform for creating standards, the North American biochar industry has raised concerns that the two- to three-year timeline for ISO to update its current standards is just too long. Updated standards are needed as soon as possible to facilitate the pace of growing commerce and carbon markets. For this reason, the US Biochar Initiative has engaged the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers to develop an American National Standard for biochar. Work on this standard began in June 2024 with the intent of having a standard published within one year. It is the intent of the American National Standard to incorporate ISO test methods as much as possible to preserve alignment with international standards, but it may also reference other standards when necessary. The American National Standard is a North American initiative with the participation of biochar experts from the United States, Canada and Mexico.In summary, there is a lot going on related to biocarbon standardization. &nbsp;I currently serve as the project leader for the USBI American National Standards project, as well as chairman of the US TAG to ISO TC 238. &nbsp;It is my intent to continue contributing to Pellet Mill Magazine to keep everyone up to date on both initiatives. Additionally, I will be providing a presentation on this topic at the 2025 International Biomass Conference and Expo in Atlanta. The title of my presentation is “New Developments in Biocarbon Standards,” on March 19. I will also provide periodic updates on the Biomass Energy Lab LinkedIn site, so follow us if you would like to stay connected.Author: Chris Wiberg&nbsp; VP of Biomass Energy Lab&nbsp; Timber Products Inspection Inc./Biomass Energy Lab&nbsp; cwiberg@tpinspection.com&nbsp;

2025-03-10 - New Developments for Biocarbon Standards (Biomass Magazine)

small_iStock-1632934233.jpg

thumbnail_iStock-1632934233.jpg

iStock-1632934233.jpg

small_Wiberg.jpg

thumbnail_Wiberg.jpg

Wiberg.jpg

New developments for biocarbon standards will help facilitate the pace of growing commerce and carbon markets. 

New Developments for Biocarbon Standards

Upcoming Events

2026 International Biomass Conference & Expo

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo