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Google Makes Historic Biochar Investment with Two 100,000-Tonne Carbon Removal Deals

  • Writer: Emilie Fong Wah
    Emilie Fong Wah
  • Jan 22
  • 5 min read

Google is taking a significant step forward in its quest to reach net-zero emissions by 2030, announcing landmark agreements to purchase a total of 200,000 tonnes of biochar-based carbon removal credits; 100,000 tonnes from India-based Varaha and another 100,000 tonnes from California-based Charm Industrial. Both off-take agreements run through 2030 and represent what Google describes as the “largest biochar carbon removals to date.” 


What is Biochar and Why Does it Matter?

Biochar is produced by heating biomass (such as agricultural residues, wood chips, or forest thinnings) in a low-oxygen environment, a process known as pyrolysis. Instead of decomposing and releasing CO₂ back into the atmosphere, the biomass is converted into a stable form of carbon (biochar) that can be buried in soil, providing long-term carbon sequestration. Beyond locking up carbon, biochar can improve soil fertility, support water retention, and enhance overall soil health, creating additional benefits for farmers and ecosystems.


“Biochar is a promising approach to carbon removal because it has the ability to scale worldwide, using existing technology, with positive side effects for soil health” said Randy Spock, Google’s Carbon Credits and Removals Lead when talking to TechCrunch. 


Varaha: Leveraging Invasive Species and Smallholder Farms

Founded in 2022, Varaha focuses on nature-based solutions, working with smallholder farmers to remove carbon at scale, with the ambitious goal of sequestering one billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent on smallholder lands. The startup has already transitioned over 100,000 farmers to sustainable practices, removing over two million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.


  • Feedstock Choice:

    • Varaha’s facility in Gujarat, India, uses an invasive woody species called Prosopis juliflora as feedstock. This plant is notorious for displacing native flora and depleting groundwater. By harvesting and pyrolysing this invasive species, Varaha both removes a destructive plant and creates a stable form of carbon that can enrich local soils when applied as a soil amendment.

  • Community Impact:

    • Smallholder farmers are deeply involved in both the biomass collection and the application of biochar to fields, enabling them to receive financial and agronomic benefits. Varaha notes that this arrangement “demonstrates the viability of smallholder-led carbon removal,” while also teaching farmers about the value of biochar.

  • Monitoring & Verification:

    • The company has developed a digital system that uses geo-tagged, time-stamped images and remote sensing to monitor biomass availability, excavation, and final biochar application, ensuring transparency and integrity in carbon credit generation.

  • Google Partnership:

    • Under this new deal, Google will purchase 100,000 tonnes of biochar-based removal credits. In addition to delivering physical biochar, Varaha will work with Google to research optimal ways of removing Prosopis juliflora, gauge real-world impacts, and refine measurement methods.


“Our team is thrilled that Google has chosen to invest in Varaha’s mission of mobilizing smallholder farmers to remove carbon from the atmosphere at a planetary scale,” said Madhur Jain, Co-Founder and CEO of Varaha when talking about the new Google partnership.


Charm Industrial: Biochar and Bio-Oil “Polygeneration” Approach

Charm Industrial, headquartered in San Francisco, started in 2021 with a focus on producing and injecting bio-oil into underground EPA-regulated wells for long-duration carbon sequestration. The company collects agricultural residues and other biomass from activities like forest fire management, converts them into bio-oil through pyrolysis, and then pumps the resulting liquid carbon underground, where it solidifies in place.


  • Expansion into Biochar:

    • With the new Google partnership, Charm is introducing biochar as a complementary product to its bio-oil operations. The company touts bio-oil’s longer-term sequestration potential but acknowledges that biochar also confers substantial soil and ecosystem benefits.

  • Second Deal with Google:

    • This agreement marks the second time Google has collaborated with Charm; the first was a bio-oil-based purchase facilitated by the Frontier Climate initiative in 2023. Frontier is a multilateral effort backed by tech giants like Google, Meta, Stripe, and others to accelerate the availability and deployment of permanent carbon removal solutions.


“Today we at Charm Industrial are excited to announce a new 100,000 tonne carbon removal purchase from Google,” said Peter Reinhardt, CEO of Charm Industrial. “This expanded partnership is the largest biochar purchase of all-time and takes advantage of Charm’s unique polygeneration approach to carbon removal.”


Google’s Broader Climate Action Efforts

These new off-takes with Varaha and Charm are part of Google’s ongoing push to decarbonise its operations and supply chain. Earlier this year, the company announced it would contract for at least $35 million worth of carbon removal credits over 12 months. Google aims to reach net-zero emissions across all its business activities by 2030 and to cut its absolute emissions by 50% (from a 2019 baseline) by the end of the decade.


“We’re purchasing these 200,000 tons to help Google achieve our net-zero emissions goal—and start to catalyze biochar production toward a scale that can help the planet mitigate climate change,” said Spock. 


Google’s investments also underscore the tech sector’s increasingly central role in stimulating nascent carbon removal methods, ranging from enhanced rock weathering to direct air capture. By supporting multiple technologies, Google seeks to diversify its carbon removal portfolio and drive down costs, thereby accelerating broader market adoption.


Why Biochar Deals Matter

  1. Scalability and Simplicity:

    1. Pyrolysis reactors and feedstocks such as agricultural waste or invasive species are relatively widespread. Because of that, biochar solutions are poised for rapid scaling in diverse global regions.

  2. Soil Health Benefits:

    1. When applied to soil, biochar can enhance fertility, reduce water usage, and potentially improve crop yields (all while sequestering carbon for centuries or more).

  3. Driving Standards and Integrity:

    1. As large corporations like Google fund these emerging solutions, rigorous monitoring and verification standards become critically important. Both Varaha and Charm emphasise meticulous tracking and third-party auditing to ensure the carbon stays locked away long-term.

  4. Local Community Advantages:

    1. Projects like Varaha’s foster economic and environmental benefits for smallholder communities, offering new income streams and farming benefits. Charm’s efforts can help reduce forest fire risk and expand sustainable land management practices.


Looking Ahead

Biochar has gained traction as a compelling nature-based carbon removal solution, but its long-term impact depends on consistent protocols and market demand. Google’s major investments in Varaha and Charm signal growing confidence in biochar’s promise. By coupling local ecosystem gains with rigorous measurement, these off-take agreements could lay the groundwork for scaling global biochar production and making meaningful strides toward combating climate change.


As Google continues to forge partnerships in carbon removal technologies, the spotlight will remain on how effectively these deals can deliver long-term, measurable results and help shape carbon markets that reward high-impact climate solutions.



References and Further Reading:

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