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UAE Scientists Tap Organic Waste To Enrich Soil
UAE Scientists Tap Organic Waste To Enrich Soil
AUS team being funded by EGA to explore potential for creating biochar, which acts as a soil improver to support plant life
Image Credit: COURTESY AUS
July 8, 2018
Staff Report
Dubai: Researchers from American University of Sharjah (AUS), in collaboration with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), will explore ways of converting organic wastes into soil improvers that can ultimately promote green cover in the UAE.
The largest industrial company in the UAE outside the oil and gas sector announced that it has signed the agreement with AUS and will be fully funding the two-year, Dh630,000 research project.
Scientists from the AUS College of Engineering will study the conversion of commonly-available organic wastes, such as food and agricultural wastes, into biochar, which is a highly-stable form of carbon that is used worldwide to improve the potential of soils to support plant life.
The research project will be the first to comprehensively investigate the potential of organic waste materials found in the UAE for use in biochar, and to analyse the water- and nutrient-holding capabilities of such biochar.
EGA said it was interested in the potential of combining biochar with bauxite residue (a by-product in the production of aluminium oxide) to create soil for greening and other uses in the UAE.
“Finding economic uses for bauxite residue is a challenge for our industry globally,” Abdullah Al Zarouni, EGA’s Vice-President of Technology Development and Transfer.
“This research with AUS is an important part of our investigations into one potential solution, and we are pleased that we can work with UAE-based scientists on this project. We also hope this project will help the UAE more broadly in reducing waste to landfill in line with ‘UAE Vision 2021’.”
EGA is separately working with The University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences to research the viability of using bauxite residue for this purpose. Bauxite residue will be a by-product of EGA’s under-construction Al Taweelah alumina refinery, once it begins production during the first half of 2019.
Industry experts estimate that at least 150 million tonnes of bauxite residue are produced worldwide each year. It is thought that less than two per cent of this is currently put to productive use.
EGA is also currently researching the potential of using bauxite residue in large-volume construction materials.
While new productive uses for bauxite residue are being developed, EGA will operate a dedicated storage site in line with current world-class best practice, about 30 kilometres inland from the coast in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi.
EGA works with local and international universities to combine the latest scientific thinking with EGA’s decades of experience in the aluminium industry in order to find solutions to technical challenges.
Why The Biochar Industry Is Expected To Gain Popularity Across The Globe Between 2012-2025?
Sustainable Agriculture - Rima d'souza - Senior Research Associate
Why The Biochar Industry Is Expected To Gain Popularity Across The Globe Between 2012-2025?
1. Biochar is an emerging industry and the product is at its nascent stage. The product is expected to be a key factor for increasing agricultural productivity and crop yield in the near future. Its ability to enhance soil fertility and plant growth is expected to be a key factor on account of growing global population and rising demand for organic food.
2. Agriculture was the largest product category in 2017 and is expected to grow substantially over the forecast period. Farming was the major application segment in agriculture with a share of over 51.8% in 2017.
3. The global biochar market is expected to reach USD 3,146.1 million by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.
4. Application in agriculture segment is expected to observe the fastest growth over the next nine years with an estimated CAGR of around 12.5% from 2018 to 2025. Biochar is primarily used in agriculture to enhance soil fertility, improve plant growth, and provide crop nutrition.
5. As a result, it improves the overall productivity. It has also gained considerable popularity in livestock farming as an animal feed. The livestock sector is extremely crucial for biochar, especially in regions such as North America and Europe where meat is important for human consumption.
6. Global demand in pyrolysis was USD 737 million in 2017 and is anticipated to witness staggered growth over the next nine years
7. Key players including VerdiLife, Diacarbon Energy Inc, Vega Biofuels Inc., and Agri-Tech Producers, LLC have invested heavily in gasification technology and are expected to expand their production facilities over the forecast period.