# From biowaste to “biogold”

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2024-11-28
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-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 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), 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 energy production, though he acknowledges the risks of eco-colonialism and the need for standardized global biomass markets.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=0) Introduction: The Biomass Opportunity and Carbon Cycle
- [6:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=400) Biomass Categories: Forests, Crops, and Waste Biomass
- [11:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=708) Sourcing and Concentration of Waste Biomass
- [17:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=1071) Conversion Technologies: Gasification, Pyrolysis, and Electricity
- [25:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=1533) Competition for Feedstock and End-Use Priorities
- [32:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=1947) BiCRS, Charm Industrial, and Running Tide
- [36:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-28-from-biowaste-to-biogold#t=2169) Bioplastics and Market Liquidity for Biomass

## 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)
- EnergyHub (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (company)
- Yale Forestry School (company)
- Stripe (company)
- Frontier Initiative (company)
- Drax (company)
- Moot (company)
- Salya Jen (company)
- Energy Impact Partners (company)
- Latitude Media (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)
- [Fostering a Circular Carbon Economy with Direct Air Capture: Insights from Rob van Straten of Skytree](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-11-21-fostering-a-circular-carbon-economy-with-direct-air-capture-insights-from-rob-va) (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/2024-11-28-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.