(Translated with MistralAI without further editing)
In the interview, Michel Konder, Co-Founder of autarkize, explains why the production and use of biochar are meaningful and what makes the company’s pyrolysis processes exceptional.
autarkize GmbH uses pyrolysis to convert biomass such as digestate or waste wood into climate-positive gas and biochar. Could you briefly explain how your process works and why it is more economically and ecologically viable than conventional biomass utilization methods?
Our pyrolysis technology is a technical and economic revolution. We can produce high-quality synthesis gas and biochar from a wide range of biomass and biogenic waste materials. We’ve optimized our synthesis gas to have a heating value and combustion properties similar to biogas. At the same time, our systems are high-performance yet extremely compact and flexible due to their container-based design. We are compatible with many established boiler, CHP, turbine, and furnace systems. Energy-intensive industrial companies, municipalities, or recycling businesses can integrate our technology into their existing gas, steam, heat, or power infrastructure with minimal effort, often even using their own waste materials for energy generation.
In parallel, our process produces biochar—a highly pure, structurally rich carbon material. Depending on the feedstock and process parameters, biochar has a wide range of applications: as a soil improver or feed additive in agriculture, as a structural and thermal conductivity material in construction, or as an organic activated carbon filter. The key advantage: Biochar is not only a valuable product but also a genuine CO₂ sink. During the process, the carbon bound in the biomass is stabilized so that it no longer oxidizes into CO₂ through decomposition, for example. This is scientifically proven and recognized in CO₂ markets as a true negative emission.
In summary, it pays off: We take carbon-rich waste materials and convert them into gas and biochar. We turn a problem into energy and a product while becoming climate-positive as an added benefit. Since we integrate into existing energy systems, the capital expenditure remains manageable, and the return on investment is high. By the end of 2026, another 10 plants with a combined capacity of almost 6 MW will go into operation.
Your systems can help achieve important climate goals. How do you scale this technology specifically to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, and what role do CO₂ certificates play in its economic viability?
For us, scaling does not mean building ever-larger plants but deploying many identical systems in many locations. We are a decentralized solution. Our plants are modular and container-based, making them usable anywhere there is sufficient biogenic waste and energy demand: in the food industry, agriculture, forestry, chemical and metallurgical process industries, as well as in decentralized district and remote heating. Our systems are technically identical in design—the difference lies in the sophisticated process engineering, data, and algorithms. Crucially, software plays a key role: With the same hardware, we can adapt to different feedstocks during operation while still delivering gas and biochar of the highest quality. As an operator of an autarkize plant, I am highly flexible but always produce high-quality products like biochar. And since CO₂ certificates are linked to the quality of the biochar, I not only remove several thousand tons of CO₂ and produce cost-effective gas but also generate a steady income through certificate trading.
Biochar can be used in soils, construction, or as a CO₂ storage solution. Which specific applications (e.g., in agriculture or industry) do you see as the most promising? How do you convince skeptics that biochar actually binds CO₂ long-term and is not just a form of “greenwashing”?
Agriculture is the most advanced application. There, biochar acts as a soil improver: it retains water and nutrients, makes soils more resilient to drought, and reduces the need for fertilizers. The construction sector is also promising. When incorporated into concrete or asphalt, biochar permanently binds carbon and, as a side benefit, helps keep cities cooler in the summer. We are also working with partners on applications such as panels for natural climate regulation in buildings.
We take the greenwashing accusation seriously because it is justified as long as no one can prove what is actually happening. That’s why we measure and certify. Our biochar is certified according to the European Biochar Certificate and the Global Biochar C-Sink standards. Through digital tracking systems, we monitor the journey of the biochar from production to application. A skeptic doesn’t have to believe us—they can verify it for themselves. The decisive point: Unlike many technical CO₂ removal methods, carbon storage in biochar is not measured in years but in centuries. The carbon is chemically stable and does not quickly return to the atmosphere.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Pyrolysis has long had a bad reputation because it rarely worked economically. We deliberately chose this technology because, when it works, it solves multiple problems at once: waste materials, energy, and CO₂. Anyone with waste materials and energy needs should talk to us before investing in the next conventional solution. Many industrial companies are sitting on exactly these material streams without utilizing them today.
About Michel Konder
Michel Konder is CEO & Co-Founder of autarkize. He brings over 20 years of experience from the energy and digital sectors, including the launch of the European gas platform Prisma and as Vice President for Digital Business and Global Scaling at battery storage pioneer sonnen. At autarkize GmbH, he is responsible for technology, innovation, and strategy. He develops long-term visions while, together with his teams, consistently finding the most efficient solutions, no matter how complex the challenge.
