IBTC joined forces with CMT for a full day Workshop on Circular Biocarbon

Advancing the Future of Sustainable Biomass in Asia

IBTC at BioInnovAsia 2025, Tokyo
Full-Day Workshop on Circular Biocarbon

From May 20 to 23, 2025, CMT hosted the 2nd Annual BioInnovAsia in Tokyo, a key event bringing together international innovators in bioenergy, policy, and innovation. As part of the program, the International Biomass Torrefaction and Carbonisation Council (IBTC) partnered with CMT to deliver a dedicated full-day workshop on Circular Biocarbon, attracting leading stakeholders from across the value chain.

This workshop provided a focused and content-rich platform for knowledge exchange, innovation showcases, and strategy development in the evolving field of torrefied biomass and biocarbon. Under the headline "Advancing the Future of Sustainable Biomass in Asia", the event emphasized the pivotal role of circularity in achieving both economic and environmental sustainability.

The day began with a strategic framing of circularity as the key success factor for biomass innovation in Asia. The IBTC-Opening Making Sense of the Circular Biocarbon - The Full Array of Products from Pyrogenic Treatments delivered a comprehensive exploration of circular biocarbon as a scalable solution for industrial decarbonisation in Asia and beyond. The program guided participants through the full value chain, from feedstock sourcing and pyrogenic processing to applications in power, metallurgy, and sequestration.

The key sessions covered terminology and standards, technical processes for torrefaction and carbonization of biomass, as well as the role of bio-intermediaries in emerging markets like SAF and biochemicals. Special attention was given to the optimization of mass and energy balances and the advantages of circularity across both environmental and economic dimensions.

The sessions explored:

• Technological processes and pathways for torrefied biomass and biocarbon
• Use cases in steel production, renewable power generation, and carbon removal markets
• Innovations in torrefaction, pyrolysis, and feedstock optimization
• Cross-sector synergies and opportunities for scaling deployment across Asia

The workshop-day concluded with a high-level panel discussion titled “Industry’s Current Response & Moving Forward”, moderated by IBTC President Michael Wild. The panel brought together distinguished leaders:

• Rachael Levinson, Hawkins Wright Ltd
• Dominique K., ANDRITZ
• John Teal, TSI Inc.
• Thomas Meth, Javelin Global Commodities

Each shared valuable insights on regulatory developments, investment drivers, and the maturity of torrefied biomass markets. The discussion underscored the importance of international collaboration, credible carbon accounting, and practical pathways to scale.

Outcome: Clearly it needs everyone along the value chain around the table to tackle the hurdles for the development and growth of the sector. It needs new collaborative business models to develop Circular Biocarbon from specialty to commodity.

Key Takeaways from the IBTC Workshop-Day

The IBTC-led workshop at BioInnovAsia 2025 delivered actionable insights and strategic foresight for all stakeholders across the circular biocarbon value chain. The following four takeaways summarize the most pressing developments discussed during the event:

1. Circularity as a Strategic Imperative

Circular biocarbon is more than a technical solution, it is a systemic approach that links sustainable feedstock sourcing, efficient thermal processing, and high-value applications. Emphasizing closed-loop systems and optimized mass-energy balances, circularity is the foundation for long-term scalability and impact.

2. Industry Momentum and Collaboration

The event brought together technology developers, producers, and end-users across regions and sectors, reflecting a shared recognition: biocarbon has matured from niche innovation to industrial reality. Strong demand signals and growing alignment across policy, finance, and technology point to a transformative decade ahead.

3. Expanding Applications and Market Readiness

Circular biocarbon is rapidly evolving beyond its initial role as an energy coal substitute. It is now positioned as a versatile intermediary for advanced applications including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and bio-based chemicals. With numerous industrial-scale plants in operation and a competitive technology market, deployment is accelerating.

4. Industry Endorsement and Strategic Fit

Heavy and general industrial users view circular biocarbon as the most viable near-term alternative to fossil carbon in key use cases, from power generation and metallurgical processes to reductants and anode materials. Its dual role as a performance input and carbon sink positions it at the core of future-ready industrial strategies.

A central takeaway from the day was the urgent need for integrated, circular approaches that align industrial decarbonization goals with biomass resource utilization, particularly in regions with high agricultural output and growing clean energy demand. 

IBTC Members in the Spotlight

We extend our gratitude to IBTC members who shared their expertise and project insights during the workshop: ANDRITZ, Hanwa, Javelin, Polytechnik, Yilkins, CPM, Kahl, Tecnored, and TSI. Their contributions highlighted the diversity of technologies and applications now emerging globally, from biochar and advanced pelletization to integrated bio-refinery models.

Why This Matters

Asia is rapidly scaling its efforts to decarbonize heavy industry and modernize energy infrastructure. Biomass and biocarbon are no longer niche technologies, they are entering the mainstream as essential tools for net-zero strategies.

BioInnovAsia 2025 reinforced the central role that torrefied biomass, biochar, and biocarbon can play in this transition, not only for energy, but for metallurgy and material innovation.

By building bridges between research, business, and policy, this workshop advanced IBTC’s mission to develop global standards, share best practices, and foster investment in sustainable biomass value chains.

With a rapidly expanding number of industrial-scale facilities and growing policy interest, the event confirmed: circular biocarbon is no longer emerging. It is scaling.