CHAR Tech: Pioneering Sustainable Solutions at Bioveld

In November 2024, BMI went on a facility tour with Andrew Thompson, Lead Plant Operator at CHAR Technologies Ltd.

A tenant at Bioveld since 2022, CharTech’s industrial operation specializes in high-temperature pyrolysis (HTP), an advanced process that heats wood and organic material to over 800°C in an oxygen-free environment, transforming it into biocarbon. During this process, their machinery is able to capture energy produced from the high heat breakdown of the material to create renewable gas, enabling a self-sustaining energy circuit.

One of HTP’s standout benefits is its efficiency: it reduces the total mass of inputs by up to 90%, significantly lowering transportation and management costs.

Strategic Location and Supply Chain Benefits

Bioveld’s strategic location offers proximity to waste aggregators and easy highway access for the primary feedstock, end-of-life wood pallets. Wood pallets are used as feedstock in CharTech’s facility to create biocarbon. By 2025, CHAR plans to process up to six trailers of pallets per day. Downstream, the biocarbon—marketed as ‘CleanFyre’—is shipped to nearby steel mills, enabling them to cut emissions by replacing conventional coal with CHAR’s biocoal. CharTech’s plant processes regional waste and transforms it into energy used by local industry.

Innovation and Experimentation

CHAR works closely with clients to tailor biocarbon solutions to specialized industrial needs, such as low-dust environments, ensuring ideal product-market fit.

The team is also continually exploring new sources of feedstock. While wood pallets have proven to be a reliable option, other organic waste materials, such as peanut shells, have also shown great potential. This diversity of materials that can be transformed into renewable energy opens up multiple pathways to sustainability for many industries.

About CHAR Technologies

A leading cleantech development and environmental services company, CHAR Tech proudly develops biocarbon and renewable energy solutions. They are looking forward to continuing and growing their operations at Bioveld.