Microsoft announced a major accord with The Next 150, planning to purchase 95,000 tons of carbon removal credits over six years. These credits will originate from a new biochar facility in Mexico, managed by The Next 150.
Biochar is an organic charcoal produced by heating materials like forest waste or crop remnants without oxygen. This forms a stable carbon form that can stay underground for a long time, thereby sequestering carbon. Beyond this, biochar enhances soil fertility, promotes plant growth, and aids in the remediation of contaminated soils.
The Next 150, a venture developer for carbon removal established in 2022, targets at delivering both positive environmental and financial outcomes.
Microsoft’s carbon credit acquisition from biochar
The organization fosters projects that encourage carbon sequestration, ranging from agroforestry to renewable energy production. Their robust revenue model per project leads to a sustainable income stream, fostering both environmental restoration and economic growth.
The biochar facility in Mexico, under General Biochar Systems (GBS) – a subsidiary of The Next 150, uses agricultural waste to generate biochar substantially benefiting local farmers. This operation will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby aligning with Microsoft’s sustainability goals and aiding their aim of becoming carbon negative by 2030.
Patrick Atanasije Pineda, Managing Partner at The Next 150, expressed that commitments like Microsoft’s are crucial in enabling large-scale biochar projects. Not only does it boost economic growth, but it also lays the foundation for high-impact environmental initiatives.
This agreement is but one of many carbon removal commitments from Microsoft, with the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. Brian Marrs from Microsoft stated this partnership is a crucial step towards their sustainability goals, hoping the collaboration will scale up investments in carbon reduction technologies and solutions, ultimately encouraging other industry giants to make similar commitments.
