Overview

Wakefield Biochar operates four biochar production facilities across Georgia, located in Brunswick, Fitzgerald, Valdosta (PCA Mill), and the Wakefield Innovation Center (WIC). These sites transform woody residues into biochar for long-term carbon removal, regenerative agriculture, and industrial applications. Together, they form one of the largest and most diversified biochar operations in the U.S., combining scale with regional circularity and community impact.

Feedstock

Each facility utilizes regionally available woody biomass:

• Brunswick: Bark and wood residues from the nearby cellulose mill.
• Fitzgerald: FSC-certified pine residues from timber operations.
• PCA Valdosta: Bark and reject wood chips from PCA’s linerboard mill, plus supplementary sawmill byproducts.
• WIC: Hurricane-damaged wood, industrial sawdust, and processed biochar from other Wakefield facilities.

Application

Wakefield biochar is applied across multiple use cases:

• Soil amendment on farms and pasturelands to improve fertility, water retention, and microbial health.
• Compost enhancement, particularly at Fitzgerald and WIC.
• Industrial uses at WIC and PCA Valdosta: biocarbon reductants in metals processing (non-sequestration).
• Animal bedding, soil blends, and research field trials.
• Wakefield offers subsidized access to farmers to enable adoption in regions with high agricultural bankruptcy rates.

Co-benefits

• Soil Health: Improved structure, nutrient cycling, and reduced N₂O emissions, particularly on drought-prone pasturelands.
• Water Efficiency: Enhanced drought resilience for farms in Georgia’s warming climate.
• Local Economic Impact: Over 80 green jobs created, especially in disadvantaged areas like Valdosta.
• Waste Valorization: Diverts underutilized woody residues from burning or disposal.
• Innovation: Wakefield leads in scaling dMRV-integrated biochar production with flexibility across both agricultural and industrial markets.

Additionality

• Environmental additionality: In the absence of these projects, most feedstock would be landfilled, combusted, or used in industrial applications where carbon is re-released.
  
• Financial additionality: Carbon revenues are essential across all sites, covering spreading, hauling, processing, and compliance costs. Soil application is less lucrative than industrial alternatives.
  
• Regulatory additionality: None of Wakefield’s biochar production or end-use activities are required by law at federal, state, or local levels.