Microsoft Makes Biochar Carbon Removal Deal with Varaha in India

Microsoft signed a multi-year offtake agreement with Varaha to buy durable biochar carbon removals, funding up to 18 biomass gasification reactors in India’s Maharashtra cotton belt over 15 years, projecting over 2 million tonnes CO₂ removals. The project converts crop residue stalks—typically burned, polluting air—into biochar for permanent soil sequestration, while boosting farmer incomes, soil health, water retention, and regenerative practices like mulching. The first reactor is operational at Varaha’s 52-acre research farm, with credits meeting strict MRV standards for permanence, helping scale Asia’s biochar CDR market amid rising corporate demand.
News Link
#Microsoft #Varaha #Biochar #CarbonRemoval #CarbonOffsets #RegenerativeAgriculture #IndiaClimateAction