# From biowaste to “biogold”

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2022-06-09
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold

## Summary

Julio Friedmann, chief scientist at Carbon Direct, discusses the complex role of biomass in decarbonization, distinguishing between waste biomass (forestry, agricultural, and municipal solid waste) and dedicated crops. He outlines various conversion technologies, including gasification for hydrogen and fuels, pyrolysis for biochar, and incineration for electricity, while highlighting startups like Charm Industrial and Running Tide pursuing Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS). Friedmann argues that at sufficient carbon prices, sequestering carbon via BiCRS is more valuable than generating energy, though he acknowledges the logistical challenges of sourcing distributed waste at scale without triggering eco-colonialism or food competition.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=2) Introduction: Biomass and the Carbon Cycle
- [5:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=351) Biomass Categories: Forests, Crops, and Waste
- [10:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=608) Sourcing Waste Biomass at Scale
- [17:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=1022) Conversion Technologies: Gasification, Pyrolysis, and Incineration
- [24:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=1451) Competition for Feedstock and End-Use Priorities
- [31:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=1864) BiCRS: Charm Industrial, Running Tide, and Sequestration
- [34:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=2086) Bioplastics and Market Liquidity

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Carbon Direct (company)
- Charm Industrial (company)
- Running Tide (company)
- Energy Hub (company)
- Bloom Energy (company)
- Arcadia (company)
- Advanced Energy Economy (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (company)
- Yale Forestry School (company)
- Stripe (company)
- Frontier Initiative (company)
- Saulya Gen (company)
- Drax (company)
- Moot (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Putting Oil Back Where It Belongs with Peter Reinhardt, CEO & Co-Founder of Charm Industrial](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-06-09-putting-oil-back-where-it-belongs-with-peter-reinhardt-ceo-co-founder-of-charm-i) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Mitigating Wildfire Risk to Reduce CO2 Emissions with Bret Richmond, Director of Engineering at C6 Forest to Farm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-02-16-mitigating-wildfire-risk-to-reduce-co2-emissions-with-bret-richmond-director-of) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Clean Hydrogen on Demand with Max Mankin, CTO and Co-founder of Modern Electron, and Mothusi Pahl, Vice President of Business Development at Modern Electron](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-27-clean-hydrogen-on-demand-with-max-mankin-cto-and-co-founder-of-modern-electron-a) (Hardware to Save a Planet)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-06-09-from-biowaste-to-biogold. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.