PubMed · 2026-04-22
This study creates a framework for evaluating how long different plant-based carbon storage methods actually keep carbon out of the atmosphere. It finds that durability varies enormously depending on both the type of carbon material (crop waste, wood, biochar) and where and how it is stored underground or on the surface.
Carbon durability varies widely based on two axes: the chemical form of the carbon product (raw biomass vs. thermochemically converted products like biochar or bio-oils) and the storage fate (surface, dry, shallow anoxic, or deep/geologic anoxic storage).
Thermochemically converted products such as biochars and bio-oils are more chemically resistant to decay than raw agricultural residues or municipal solid waste, making them inherently more durable carbon stores.
Deep or geologic anoxic storage (injection underground) offers the greatest long-term stability, while surface storage carries the highest risk of carbon re-release, regardless of feedstock type.
