The University of Georgia has created a machine that may provide the answer to some pressing issues like energy creation, food production and global warming.

Biochar, is a highly porous charcoal made from organic waste, or biomass.  The raw material can be comprised of forest, agricultural or animal waste.  The UGA process feeds biomass into a barrel whereby it is cooked at temperatures that can exceed 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, through a thermochemical process called “pyrolysis.”  After baking for a few hours, biomass such as: corn husks, wood chips, peanut shells, or manure is transformed from organic waste into charcoal-like pellets that can be used for fertilizer.  Gasses given off during the process can be harvested to become fuel for vehicles or power for electric generators.

sources: cnn.com / biorefinery.uga.edu