In a significant move to offset emissions, Google has signed a groundbreaking deal with Indian supplier Varaha to purchase carbon removal credits from agricultural waste converted into biochar. The deal, announced Thursday, marks Google’s first step into India’s carbon dioxide removal (CDR) sector, making it one of the largest biochar agreements to date.
Varaha, an innovative company focused on sustainable practices, will purchase waste from hundreds of smallholder farms across India. This waste will then be processed in reactors to create biochar, a form of charcoal known for its ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Biochar has the potential to sequester CO2 for hundreds of years while improving soil health—an added benefit for farmers who can also use it as a natural alternative to fertilizers.
Google has committed to purchasing 100,000 tons of carbon credits by 2030, with Varaha’s CEO, Madhur Jain, suggesting that India’s vast agricultural waste could generate enough biochar to store over 100 million tons of CO2 annually. The deal is part of a larger trend of tech companies seeking innovative, cost-effective ways to reduce their carbon footprints.
While biochar and other CDR solutions provide a promising avenue for removing CO2 from the atmosphere, critics caution that such measures should not replace direct emission reductions. Nevertheless, Jain emphasizes that every effort is critical in the fight against climate change, especially as the world grapples with rising temperatures.
As CDR solutions grow in importance, this partnership could inspire more companies to explore biochar’s potential, signaling a shift towards more accessible and scalable climate solutions in the years to come.
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