Namibia has recently sold its first carbon credits to companies in Europe, though there remains significant untapped potential due to limited funding.
Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Eck Volkmann, biochar manager at Carbon Capture and Storage Namibia (PyroNam), said the company aims to establish 50 plants by 2030, but substantial financing is needed for these projects.
“Recently, the first carbon credits were sold from the Waltershagen plant to companies in Europe,” Volkmann said.
He added that the company currently operates plants in Waltershagen and Otjiwarongo, with plans to establish another in Waterberg.
These plants produce biochar from bush biomass.
“PyroNam sources this bush biomass from local commercial, communal, and resettlement farmers,” he said.
The process involves cutting down unwanted bushes and heating them without oxygen to create a charcoal-like substance known as biochar.
“In Namibia, a dry country, biochar can assist farmers by reducing the need for frequent irrigation and enhancing plant drought tolerance,” Volkmann explained.
Biochar can be used to improve soil structure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The plant currently employs 20 people, with local farmers supplying the biomass.
Since its inception in 2022, the company has received N$14 million in investment. However, Volkmann noted that there is currently a limited market for biochar in Namibia.
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