Ithaka Institut

27. -29. April 2018, International Agroforestry Conference (IAC) 2018, Kathmandu, Nepal

The Global Potential of Forest Gardens to Mitigate Climate Change

Keynote by Hans-Peter Schmidt

Conference Information


 

12. -16. March 2018, Landscape 2018 – Frontiers of agricultural landscape research, Berlin

Terrestrial carbon dioxide removal potential of pyrolytic treated biomass produced by sustainable carbon farming

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Conference Information


 

14. -16. February 2018, ARF international workshop and the Food & Business Knowledge Platform; Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Scaling-Up organic biochar based fertilization in rural home gardens 

by Hans-Peter Schmidt

Conference Information


 

22. -23. January 2018, Terrestrial CO2 Removal: Potential and Tradeoffs in the SDG Context, PIK Potsdam, Germany

Producing food, biomass, and ecosystem services in optimized carbon farming systems with biochar

by Hans-Peter Schmidt

Conference Information


 

30. November 2017, Nabu-Naturerlebniszenrtrum, Blumenberger Mühle, Angermünde

Pflanzung des Lutherbaumes - Auf dass wir klug werden

Pflanzung des Luther-Apfelbaums in die fruchtbare Schwarzerde Terra preta mit Haiko Pieplow

Artikel zur Veranstaltung, Pressemeldung und Programm


 

20. August 2016, Berlin Pankow

Wie aus Windeln Apfelträume werden

Terra Preta Workshop mit Ayumi Matsuzaka, Haiko Pieplow und dem Dycle-Team im Kulturzentrum Cafè Eden Berlin–Pankow


 

13. August 2016, Welsow bei Angermünde/Ückermark

Verwandlung von Gartenabfällen in Schwarzes Gold

Ein praktischer Terra Preta Workshop mit Sarah Wiener und Haiko Pieplow 

Sarah Wiener, die berühmte Restaurantchefin, und Haiko Pieplow werden phantastische Gerichte in Gargruben zaubern, Pflanzenkohle herstellen und die Prinzipien der Terra Preta und organischen Nährstoffkreisläufe demonstrieren. Programm und Anmeldung


 

19. Januar 2016, Kaindorf (Austria) - Humusfachtag

Erfolgreicher Einsatz von Pflanzenkohle durch Nährstoffanreicherung und Wurzelzonenapplikation

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Programm der Tagung, Humusfachtage in der Ökoregion Kaindorf, Österreich


7th December 2015, Dakar (Senegal) - Transformationen Kontinent Afrika

Climate Farming: Creating healthy, fertile soils with the planting of trees and crops, with recycling organic nutrients, and biochar captured carbon

Keynote by Hans-Peter Schmidt

Trees not only produce timber but animal fodder, nuts, fruits, pharmaceuticals… and shade, nitrogen and carbon for soil fertility. No heavily degraded soil can be regenerated and awaken to life without the planting of trees. Trees are crops that transform the surface of an agricultural field into a much more resilient and efficient multistory eco-system that can produce stable and cash crops and plenty of commodities in parallel.

A farm scale device to carbonize crop waste, animal bones and invasive shrubs will have to be introduced to manufacture a highly porous substance called biochar. This biochar will then be enhanced with liquid organic nutrients and transformed into a highly efficient organic fertilizer that replaces chemical fertilizer while increasing crop yields substantially. Farmers can thus becoming increasingly independent from imported fertilizer and pesticides. Thanks to biochar based fertilizer and soil substrates plants not only grow better and are more resilient during extended dry periods, they also increase plant survival rates especially during reforestation of degraded land.

In our talk we present the basics of these climate farming methods, our experiences with implementing it in different countries and discuss the prospects for its introduction into the Republic of Senegal.

Program of the conference, 5 - 10th December 2015, Dakar, Senegal
Tagungsprogram auf Deutsch


18th November 2015, Boston (USA) - Sustainatopia Conference

Investing in Eco-System Renewal

Kathleen Draper

Program of the Conference, 16th - 18th Novembre 2015, Boston (USA)


12th October 2015, Regional Consultation on “Agroforestry: The Way Forward”, Delhi (India)

Agro-forestation with biochar for carbon capture and increased farm productivity

Bishnu Hari Pandit

Program of the Conference, 10th - 12th October, Delhi (India)


30th September 2015, Joint International Biochar Symposium 2015, Geisenheim (Germany)

Farm scale biochar production, biochar nutrient enhancement, and application techniques in Nepal

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Please find here the video recording of the presentation

Program of the Symposium, 28th - 30th September, Geisenheim (Germany)
Tagungsprogramm auf Deutsch


25th August 2015, IBI Webinar Series

Farm scale biochar production, nutrient enhancement and soil application techniques

Hans-Peter Schmidt

While biochar prices from industrial production are at levels that make its use in most agricultural settings economically non viable, the scenario changes when farmers produce - on farm - their own biochar from residues such as straw, husks, shrubs, cuttings and prunings in smaller scale, low cost biochar kilns. Farmers can thus combine biochar production with on-farm waste management, biomass heat generation and on-site organic fertilizer production, which is a major step towards a more circular economy in agriculture. Using Kon-Tiki type flame curtain pyrolysis systems, the cost per tonne of biochar could come down to below $150 compared to the current market price of €600 to €900 per tonne. Furthermore, as the amount of biochar produced per farm and year would be dependent on the biomass surplus of each farm, it would be in direct relation to the carbon balance and potential of photosynthesis of the farm.
Once a farmer has sufficient high quality biochar at his disposal new roads of nutrient capture and recycling opens up. In mixed-use farms biochar could thus first be used in manure management to decrease nutrient losses, reduce odours and to improve, when applied to soil, the organic fertilizer efficiency while reducing GHG emissions during the whole cascade of use from manure storage, to composting and application. Some of the biochars might even be used as feed additives to initiate the nutrient capturing effect of the biochar already in the digestive system of the animals while improving feed efficiency and animal fitness. Even though scientific proof of the later is still scarce, more than 90% of the biochar holding a European Biochar Certificate (EBC, 2012) is first used in animal farming (partly as a feed supplement and mostly as bedding and manure treatment) and, only after those initial uses, is the biochar used as a soil amendment.
Organic nutrient enhanced biochar can then be used very efficiently in concentrated sub root applications. Instead of spreading large amounts of biochar over the whole field, low amounts of biochar-nutrient slurries are injected into the root zone of the cultivated plants where they and their microbial symbionts benefit from nutrients and water captured in the biochar as well as from the other known qualities of biochar.

Program of the IBI Webinar Series and download of the recoding of the presentation

PDF of the presentation given at the webinar


25th June 2015, TerraBoGa Workshop, Botanischer Garten Berlin (Germany)

Pflanzenkohle für eine biobasierte Wirtschaft

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Bitte finden Sie hier einen Videomitschnitt des Vortrages 

Tagungsprogramm, 23te bis 24te Juni 2015


29th May 2015, International Biochar Symposium - Biochar Contribution to Sustainable Agriculture, Potsdam (Germany)

Farmer scale biochar production and nutrient enhancement

keynote by Hans-Peter Schmidt

With low cost, on-farm biochar production, biochar could be used in various cascades from silage and animal feeding, to bedding and manure management, to waste water treatment and urine recycling, to grain store house building, as well as vegetable and fruit storage. The potential ubiquity of biochar in many farming processes could improve the ecological and carbon footprint, nutrient cycling and overall sustainability of farming. With each year the amount of biochar and soil organic matter in soil could be increased steadily, creating an expanding carbon sink in agricultural soils. On-farm biochar production could thus be a major step towards a more circular economy in agriculture. 

At the conference, we will present the Kon-Tiki technology and its perspective for on-farm biochar production, its subsequent cascading use and nutrient enhancement. We will further present analytical data of the biochars depending on feedstock, quenching technique and kiln design, emission and yield data as well as a first economic evaluation of the technology both for developing and developed countries. In addition, we will present some first result of farmer trials in Nepal using these biochars.    

Program of the Symposium, 28th to 29th May 2015, Potsdam, Germany

PDF of the presentation


16th April 2015, NE Biomass Heating Conference, Portland (USA)

Markets for biochar and CHAB systems

Kathleen Draper

Program of the Symposium, 15th to 17th April 2015, Portland, USA


Pflanzenkohle – Für gesunde Tiere und gesunde Böden

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Programm und Anmeldung

PDFs der Präsentationen aller Vorträge der Tagung


25th March 2014, Biochar in Pakistan - Opportunities and Potential, Faisalabad (Pakistan)

How to make biochar work?

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Program of the meeting


11th March 2014, The Potential of Carbonation for Ireland, House of European Parliament, Dublin

Potential of developing products for agriculture and environment including high value products from “waste” using pyrolysis technology

Hans-Peter Schmidt

PDF of the presentation


12. Februar 2014, Hochschule Wädenswil, Zürich

Einführung in die Pyrolysetechnologie

Hans-Peter Schmidt


30. Januar 2014, Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft, Bern

Pflanzenkohle - Wohin geht der Weg bei der Anwendung?

Hans-Peter Schmidt


23 - 24th January 2014, COST Focus Meeting, Vienna

Understanding the Interactions between different Biochars and Plants, Micro-organisms, Soil Organic Matter, Soil Minerals, and Water

Claudia, Kammann, Stephen Joseph, Olivier Husson, Pellegrino Conte, Gerhard Soja, Hans-Peter Schmidt

Resume of the meeting


20 - 22. Januar 2014, Humusfachtage - International Humus Expert Meeting, Kaindorf (Austria)

Wohin geht der Weg bei der Anwendung von Pflanzenkohle - ist diese Bewegung noch aufzuhalten?

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Programm der Humusfachtage 

Programm of the 1st International Humus Expert Meeting


16 - 17th January 2014, 2nd Mediterranean Biochar Symposium, Palermo (Italy)

Analytical Standards for Biochar Characterization - Lessons from the Cost Biochar Ring Trial

Hans-Peter Schmidt,  Hans Jörg Bachmann, Thomas D. Bucheli, Daniele Fabbri, Heike Knicker, Axel Ulbricht

2nd Mediterranean Biochar Symposium

PDF of the presentation

Abstract of the keynote 


10th December, The Future of Biochar, End conference of the Interreg IVB project Biochar, Groningen (NL) 

Cascading use of biochar

Before its application to soil, biochar can help to close the agronomic nutrient cycles especially in animal farming when used as a feed additive or for manure treatment. 

Hans-Peter Schmidt

The future of biochar conference


 

To enhance the agronomic effects of biochar several post production treatments might be considered: (1) adding nutrients, (2) inoculating it with beneficial microorganisms, (3) improving its

14. November, University of Prague

Certification of biochar and biochar legislation in the EU

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Presentation about the EBC-Certificat and biochar legislation in the EU 


5. - 7. November, ESF Exploratory Workshop on IMPACT OF NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC PYROGENIC CARBON IN MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS, European Science Foundation, Seville

Infuencing biochar characteristics through pyrolysis conditions, feedstock blending and post-production treatment

Hans-Peter Schmidt

To enhance the agronomic effects of biochar several post production treatments might be considered: (1) adding nutrients, (2) inoculating it with beneficial microorganisms, (3) improving its surface reactivity and porous volume and thus its sorption dynamics through traditional activation techniques, and/or (4) accelerated biological aging through composting or fermentation. The different post-production techniques can be classified according to the resulting physical and chemical alteration of the biochar:

1.    Addition of nutrients, microorganisms and/or minerals in liquid solution which soak into the biochar pores without any or with only slight chemical alteration of the biochar. 
2.    Physicochemical activation (treatment with acids, vapours, toasting with minerals …), resulting in alterations of the surface, pore volume and functional groups. 
3.    Biochemical interaction of the biochar with organic compounds, minerals and microorganisms resulting in complexation of the aromatic structure and also partial degradation. 


21. - 23. Oktober - EU-COST Action on biochar, annual meeting, Velence (Hungary)

Results and first statistical evaluation of the biochar ringtrial

Work group 1 - meeting on 21st

First European Biochar stakeholder meeting

workshop and conferences on 23ed


15. Oktober 2013, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (US)

Novel Uses of Biochar

Hans-Peter Schmidt

USBI - North American Biochar Conference

download the presentation

Cascading Uses of Biochar - Hans-Peter Schmidt, Ithaka Institute

In addition to the use of biochar as a soil amendment, there are an increasing number of ways to incorporate biochar into different eco- and industrial systems. Thus feeding biochar to livestock has numerous benefits not only for the animals, but it also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improves nutrient retention in animal manure. The use of biochar in building materials is just beginning to be studied but shows promise in the ability to insulate, decontaminate air, provide odor and humidity control. Biochar as pillow filling to induce perfectly reposing sleep is just another way to benefit from biochar's multiple qualities. There are more than 55 uses of biochar that can be combined in cascades. All of these uses have in common that the biochar gets slowly charged with nutrients, gets oxidized and can finally be recycled as a soil conditioner. This session will introduce participants to a broad range of novel and cascading uses of biochar.


11-13. Oktober 2013, Schloss Gartow

Gartower Oktobergespräche 2013 - Boden und Humusaufbau


2. Oktober 2013, Potsdam

Pflanzenkohle - ein Schlüsselelment zur Schließung der Stoffkreisläufe

Hans-Peter Schmidt

ANS-Tagung - Abfallwirtschaft meets Biochar, Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung


20. September 2013, Rheinau-Linx

Forschungsergebnisse aus dem Einsatz von Pflanzenkohle und Qualitätskriterien

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Humussymposium Oberrhein

Download der Präsentation


12. September 2013, Kloster Fahr

Pflanzenkohle als Baumaterial - Carbon Sink City

Hans-Peter Schmidt

WTA-Expertengespräch

Download der Präsentation


20. Juni 2013, University Oxford (UK)

A European Vision for Biochar (keynote)

Hans-Peter Schmidt

British Biochar Conference 2013

Video recording of the conference


6. Juni 2013, University of Liechtenstein

Herausforderungen für eine One Planet Welt

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Liechtestein Congress 2013


2. Oktober 2012, Dörth

Biomasse-Recycling: Qualitätsprodukte auf Basis Pflanzenkohle mit hoher Wertschöpfung

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Hunsrücker Kompostsymposium 2012


25. September, Chania (Kreta)

Introduction to the European Biochar Certificate

Hans-Peter Schmidt

EU-COST Action Biochar Meeting


 

19. / 20. September 2012, Berlin

Strategien gezielten Einsatzes von Pflanzenkohle in der
Landwirtschaft | Strategies of targeted use of biochar in agriculture

Hans-Peter Schmidt

73. Symposium - Biokohle im Blick - Herstellung, Einsatz und Bewertung


15. September 2012, Mythopia (Valais)

Führung durch die Weinberge des Delinat-Instituts mit Degustation der Mythopia Weine

Claudio Niggli

Anmeldung und weitere Informationen


 

6. September 2012, Lenzburg (CH)

Förderung der Bodenaktivität des Terroir durch Pflanzenkohle,
Kompost und artenvielfältige Begrünung

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Schlogespräche Lenzburg

Download der Präsentation


5. Juli 2012, Barri (It)

Biochar as Carrier for Plant Nutrients and Microorganisms - a first approach to activation techniques

Hans-Peter Schmidt

4th International Congress  EUROSOIL 2012  Soil Science for the Benefit for the Mankind and Environment


 

8. Mai 2012, Bern BLW

Nutzen der Pflanzenkohle in landwirtschaftlichen Stoffkreisläufen

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Fachtagung Dünger


3. Mai 2012, Liechtenstein

Cities and landscapes as productive natural systems- Urban niches for food production

Hans-Peter Schmidt

LISDAR - Liechtenstein Congress


24. April 2012, Wien

Biochar as carrier for plant nutrients and microorganisms - techniques of agro-activation

Hans-Peter Schmidt

European Geoscience Union


29. Februar 2012, Sihlbrugg (CH)

Stand der Forschung im Bereich der Pflanzenkohleproduktion

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Praxistag IG-Anlagen

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30. Januar 2012, Hamm (D)
Klimafarming als Chance

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Bioland-Wintertagung
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26. Januar 2012, Sihlbrugg (CH)
Stand der Forschung im Bereich der Pflanzenkohleproduktion

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Praxistag IG-Anlagen
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19. November 2012, Kainsdorf (Ö)
Pflanzenkohleversuche in Europa

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Humus Symposium

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19. November 2012, Kainsdorf (Ö)
Klimafarming in der Praxis

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Humus Fachtag
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 30. November 2011, Südtirol (It)
Bodenbewirtschaftung, Biodiversität und nachhaltige Produktion

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Weinbauseminar Südtirol
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24. November 2011, Universität Bern
Biodiversität im Weinbau: ein agrarökologisches Gesamtkonzept

Claudio Niggli

Lecture in Plant & Animal Conservation Ecology
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17. November 2011, Basel
Delinats Strategien für den ökologischen Weinbau der Zukunft

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Aktuelles zur Wirtschaftlichkeit im Rebbau und Keller
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8. November 2011, Venlo (NL)
Carbon Fertilizer and Carbon Substrate Production

Hans-Peter Schmidt

NV Greenport Venlo Innovation Center 
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21. Oktober 2011, Zollikofen
Klimafarming im Weinbau

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Lancierungsevent: Klimastrategie Landwirtschaft - Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft 
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15. Oktober 2011, Schloß Gartow
Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Terra Preta in der Forstwirtschaft

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Gartower Gespräche

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  26. September 2011, Universität Halle
Biochar as carrier for plant nutrients and microorganisms – a first approach to activation techniques

Hans-Peter Schmidt

European Biochar Symposium
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 21. August 2011, Fraueninsel Chiemgau
Terra Preta Einsatz im Wein- und Gartenbau

Hans-Peter Schmidt

EM-Tage Chiemgau
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 10. Juni 2011, Martigny
Alimentation en biodiversité

Hans-Peter Schmidt

3ème FORUM EN FAVEUR D’UNE CULTURE DE PAIX
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31. Mai 2011, Leipzig
Verfahren zur biologischen Aufladung von Biokohle

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Terra Preta - Chancen für eine nachhaltige Kreislaufwirtschaft
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21. Mai 2011, Domaine de Mythopia
Führung durch die Weinberge des Delinat-Instituts mit Degustation der Mythopia Weine

Claudio Niggli

Anmeldung und Informationen hier

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 10. Mai 2011, Universität Bremen
Anwendung von Biochar

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Herausforderung Dessertifikation - Kampf gegen Ausbreitung der Wüsten
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2. April 2011, Cham
Lebendige Böden: Terra Preta, Biokohle, Kompost und Bokashi

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Schweizerischen Interessengemeinschaft Effektive Mikroorganismen
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23. März 2011, Universität Liechtenstein
OaseStadt – Artenvielfalt und CO2‐Fixierung als Raumplanungsmandate

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Babel oder Mythopia Babel - Neue Richtungen in Städtebau und Raumplanung
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24. Februar 2011, 13h00, Wien
Grundlagen für einen klimapositiven Weinbau mit hoher Biodiversität

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Bio Austria - Winzertage 2011, Wien
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11. Januar 2011, 12h30, Leiwen 
Strategien der Biodiversifizierung zur Verbesserung der Terroirqualität

Hans-Peter Schmidt

Mosel Weinbautag 2011, Leiwen
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