Launch of demonstration test for soil carbon storage using biochar ～Aiming for both "reduction of CO2 emission" and "quality improvement of tea leaves" at tea plantations in Shizuoka～

Today, Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (Head Office: Higashi-ku, Nagoya; President & Director: Kingo Hayashi), Enshu-Yumesaki Japan Agricultural Cooperative (Location: Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Cooperative President: Tomoji Kawaharazaki; "JA Enshu-Yumesaki") and National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (Location: Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture; President: Kazuo Kyuma) will launch a demonstration test for soil carbon storage using biochar at producers’ tea plantations of JA Enshu-Yumesaki.

In the process of cultivation management and harvesting of agricultural produce, plant waste, such as branches, leaves and rice husks, is generated. In addition to being effectively used as bedding materials for farmland, such waste is generally mixed with soil for disposal. As waste is decomposed by microorganisms in soil, CO₂ absorbed during growth is emitted into the air.

However, when such plant waste is converted to a carbonized state known as biochar, it becomes difficult to be decomposed by microorganisms even when mixed in soil, which enables storing carbon for a long time and controlling the emission of CO₂. Biochar also helps to improve the environment of agricultural soil and has long been used for the production of agricultural produce.

Focusing on these characteristics, the three parties will evaluate the effect of CO₂ emission reduction and demonstrate the effect of quality improvement of tea leaves by mixing biochar derived from rice husks in soil at two producers’ tea plantations of JA Enshu-Yumesaki from July 2022 to September 2025.

The three parties aim to achieve both decarbonation in local agriculture and improvement of agricultural productivity through this demonstration test.