We met Edvard Hamilton, CEO and founder of Biokol.se, at his farm outside Götene. His interest in biochar arose from a need to improve the soil on his family farm, a farm overlooking Lake Vänern that his family has farmed for generations. It soon became clear that there were many advantages to using biochar, and he realized how effective it is to also use the heat generated by the boilers. The solution was to start manufacturing and selling biochar boilers in Sweden under the name Brachio AB.

Climate innovation with biochar from the family farm

We met up with Edvard Hamilton, CEO and founder of the company Biokol.se at his farm outside Götene. His interest in biochar arose from a need to improve the soil on his family farm, a farm overlooking Lake Vänern that his family has farmed for generations. It soon became clear that there were many advantages to using biochar, and he realized how effective it was to also use the heat generated by the boilers. The solution was to start manufacturing and selling biochar boilers in Sweden under the name Brachio AB.

Today, Edvard runs the company Biokol.se together with his wife Sofia and colleague Rickard Olsson, which builds and supplies biochar boilers to Swedish farmers, municipalities, and environmentally conscious companies. The boilers are now available throughout Sweden, and some of them have chosen to be part of the carbon credit market through Biokol.se.

The market for biochar in Europe has undergone significant expansion in recent years, with the Nordic region unsurprisingly taking the lead. With our forest-rich country and exceptional access to biomass, the Nordic region accounted for a full 31 percent of total European biochar production in 2024, making us a region at the forefront. In the Nordic region, the heat is also needed, which distinguishes biochar production here from other parts of the world where the heat is not utilized.

Long-term carbon sink with biochar

Biokol.se supplies biochar and carbon credits of a very high quality. The key lies in the production process and quality assurance. By pyrolyzing (a process in which material is heated without oxygen so that it breaks down without burning) the biomass at very high temperatures over a long and consistent period of time, ash is filtered out of the carbon while heavy metals are effectively eliminated. The result is "clean" biochar with an extremely high carbon content, the quality of which is verified by EBC (European Biochar Certification) certification and advanced reflection tests.

Not all biochar is of the same quality. "Measuring the purity of biochar is similar to evaluating diamonds; just as you examine a gemstone for color and discoloration, tests are used to ensure that the carbon is stable and that storage will be long-term," says Sofia Hamilton at Biokol.se.

Uses for biochar 

The potential of biochar as a physical product extends beyond carbon storage, as the material has a range of practical applications. In agriculture, it acts as a soil improver, making the soil porous and improving its ability to retain water and nutrients, and in modern urban environments, biochar is widely used in urban gardening projects (e.g., tree planting).

In the construction sector, various experiments are also being conducted with the use of biochar, which is mixed into cement to reduce emissions from production, while at the same time binding carbon in the structures. Today, up to 8-9 percent of cement can consist of biochar without compromising strength.

High-quality Swedish coal credits

Although it is possible to produce biochar from almost any type of biomass, Biokol.se focuses on developing a sustainable alternative without residues of impregnation or toxins. The raw materials used in their production come from FCS-certified forests, residues from diseased trees affected by various insect or fungal infestations, and forest industry residues.

The carbon credits generated by Biokol.se are certified by theRainbow standard and are only issuedoncethe biochar has been added to the soil and the climate benefits have been realized. As with ZeroMission's other projects, the standard ensures that the carbon credits truly correspond to the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered, which means that you, as a buyer, can be sure that your carbon offsetting is doing good.

Added value of biochar in Sweden

Whether used as a product in soil and materials, or if you choose to finance climate benefits by purchasing carbon credits, biochar offers a range of significant added value.

In addition, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights biochar as one of the most promising methods for long-term carbon storage on land, thanks to its availability, cost-effectiveness, and durability. At the same time, the use of biochar creates new local synergies, where Swedish producers, landowners, companies, energy companies, and municipalities collaborate in a circular and regional climate benefit.

And the land on Edvard's farm? Yes, it has improved.