MS praises pioneering product from Glyndyfrdwy company

* From left: Lionel Clarke, Llyr Gruffydd, Mary Clarke, Tom Foules, Neil Craddock, Chris Clarke.

A pioneering process that turns waste products into a soil improver has been praised by Plaid Cymru’s Member of the Senedd for North Wales, Llyr Gruffydd.

He made his comments during a recent visit to BionerG in Glyndyfrdwy, which is developing world-leading carbon removal technology.

The company, led by Professor Lionel Clarke OBE, has developed cutting-edge technology to produce biochar - a charcoal-like substance created from forestry by-products such as wood offcuts, windfall and brash. 

When produced at high temperatures, the resulting biochar is almost entirely pure carbon and offers huge potential both environmentally and economically.

Biochar is highly valued in the agriculture sector as a natural soil improver. It can make pasture more drought-tolerant, increase soil pH levels (reducing the need for lime), and support better soil microbiology. The process itself is regarded as carbon-negative, as it effectively locks atmospheric CO₂ - absorbed by growing trees - into the soil for generations to come.

BionerG has also secured a patent for its software platform that allows users to trade the carbon credits generated by biochar production on the global market. This innovation means the technology not only contributes to the fight against climate change but also offers a new revenue stream for producers.

Llyr Gruffydd said: “It’s inspiring to see this kind of innovation happening here in North Wales. BionerG’s technology takes what would otherwise be waste from the forestry industry and turns it into something that benefits both the environment and our agricultural sector.

“This kind of carbon-negative technology has enormous potential - it sequesters carbon for generations, improves soil health, and strengthens the environmental credentials of farms across Wales. It’s exactly the type of forward-thinking enterprise we need to see more of.”

The biochar technology developed by BionerG has several advantages:

• It is cost-effective to establish and operate.
• It utilises by-products from the forestry sector that might otherwise go to waste.
• It locks carbon into the soil for generations.
• It reduces the need for lime and fertiliser, improving sustainability in agriculture.