2,500 tonnes of bio-oil produced, and scaling quickly

Just the gist

Short on time? Here’s what you need to know for this update:

• 📈 Streamlining processes and scaling production: Our project partner has produced 2,500+ tonnes of bio-oil while developing innovative solutions to expand operations.
• 🫶 Engaging local communities on carbon removal: Through community events and facility tours, our project partner is building local support and understanding of carbon removal technology.
• 🌳 Increasing forest resilience in the face of wildfires: A pilot project in California's Inyo National Forest shows how carbon removal techniques can help protect forests and prevent devastating wildfires.

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Streamlining processes and scaling production

Our Bio-oil carbon removal project partner, Charm Industrial, works with landowners and local forestry services to collect excess plant material, like wood chips and agricultural waste. They convert this biomass into a stable form of carbon called bio-oil. In 2024, they processed over 2,500 tonnes of bio-oil, which is equivalent to the weight of 6.5 fully-loaded 747 airplanes.

The team injects bio-oil hundreds of feet underground, averaging one injection per week and up to every other day during peak times. This underground storage securely stores carbon, keeping it out of our atmosphere. However, our project partner faced a challenge, where continuous operations led to biomass buildup that clogged the processing equipment and delayed work.

Jake, one of Charm Industrial's engineers, designed a solution that continuously clears buildup during operation. The device, lovingly nicknamed the "Dog Skritcher," works like a metal backscratcher to clear buildup from the equipment—specifically the pyrolyzer. This has already boosted efficiency, extending plant operation time and minimizing downtime. They’re now upgrading it to an automated version called the Roboskritcher.

Our project partner’s continuous dedication to efficient, impactful carbon removal has recently captured the attention of big industry players like Meta, Google, and JPMorgan Chase. These organizations are following in Wren’s footsteps, supporting Charm Industrial to expand bio-oil production. This is a strong signal for the long-term demand of large-scale carbon removal solutions.

Engaging local communities on carbon removal

Working closely with local communities has been fundamental to our project partner's approach to scaling carbon removal, collaborating with community leaders and residents through outreach events and tours of their Miniforge facility. These inclusive showcases have fostered dialogue and mutual understanding about carbon removal technology's role in the community.

Charm Industrial's facility in Colorado has become one of America's largest carbon removal sites. What started as an empty lot has transformed into an industry leader, now employing over 100 people and combining climate restoration with local manufacturing.

This Colorado facility has become a center for carbon removal innovation and community learning, representing a growing intersection of climate action and local economic development.

To make carbon removal more accessible to everyone, our project partner recently launched CharmTV, giving Wren members and other stakeholders exclusive access to livestreams and highlights of their progress.

Increasing forest resilience in the face of wildfires

In August 2024, our project partner launched a new pilot project in California's Inyo National Forest to demonstrate their mobile pyrolysis technology as a tool to process biomass from wildfire mitigation projects.

This delivers two essential benefits—it reduces potential fuel for fires in wildfire-prone areas by removing excess dead vegetation, and it keeps carbon safely out of our atmosphere. With increasing wildfire threats across California and the Western United States, multi-approach solutions like these are becoming more critical every day.

Looking ahead to the next chapter

Our project partner continues to push boundaries in carbon removal technology. Their latest developments show promising advances in tackling climate change through multiple pathways, such as co-production of bio-oil and biochar from a single feedstock.

We're eager to see what the future holds as they expand their impact on environmental restoration and carbon removal.

That's all for this update! As always, thank you for your support.
— the Wren team 🧡