German-backed biochar production plant in Otjiwarongo progressing well

OTJIWARONGO, 31 OCT (NAMPA) – Namibia is one of only four countries benefiting from the German company PyroCCS GmbH, which seeks to explore biochar production opportunities globally.
PyroCCS is a ClimateTech project developer that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through various methodologies and technologies.
In Namibia, its local subsidiary PyroNam obtains biomass from local farmers and turns it into biochar - a type of charcoal made by heating organic materials.
The countries involved so far are Namibia, Indonesia, India and Malaysia.
Established in April 2023, PyroNam is the first company in Africa to have successfully obtained the European Biochar Certification (EBC) under Carbon Solutions International (CSI) to create carbon credits for the voluntary market.
This was revealed this week during a media tour with journalists by PyroNam Managing Director Henrike Geldmacher at Otjiwarongo. The media tour started on 28 October 2024 and ends on 01 November 2024. It is organised by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB).
The PyroNam project has invested a total N.dollars 12 million to date, according to NIPDB spokesperson, Catherine Shipushu.
“PyroNam is registered as an investor at the NIPDB and it was with the assistance of the NIPDB that stakeholder consultations were held with all major Government stakeholders to bring awareness of the project to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform,” Shipushu said.
The PyroNam project, located some 30 kilometres outside Otjiwarongo employs 21 local labourers.
“Due to the remoteness of the site, PyroNam has also built workers’ accommodation and decentralised power supply for the location. The pilot plant has an input capacity of up to 3 500 tonnes of dried bush biomass per year and an output capacity of approximately 1 100 tonnes of biochar per year. This in turn translates to a total carbon sequestration of approximately 2 200 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The deployed technology is simple but clean and low in emissions,” Geldmacher told the journalists.
She added that 90 per cent of PyroNam technology can be manufactured in Namibia or South Africa, supporting local value creation.
“In general, PyroNam’s plants are designed to be set up in rural, decentralised settings,” she stressed.
(NAMPA)
EB/PS/AS