SWVA Biochar, a producer of biochar in the Southwest Virginia region, will invest $2.6 million to increase capacity at its operation in Floyd County, according to a Dec. 14 press release from Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The company will make updates to its facility at 209 Sams Road Southeast and add new equipment, including several new kilns. The project will create 15 new jobs.
“SWVA Biochar is creating an innovative product from biomass that has the potential to be applied to multiple industries while also making a positive impact on the environment,” said Governor Youngkin. “Startups and small businesses are critical to job creation, and this young company is benefitting from Virginia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. We are doubling down to ensure an economy that encourages innovation and look forward to supporting SWVA Biochar’s future success in Floyd County.”
“SWVA Biochar worked with expert partners at James Madison University and in Colorado to determine that demand for quality biochar is high along the East Coast and overseas in Great Britain and other European countries,” said Jack Wall, SWVA Biochar Manager. “Virginia’s plentiful, high-quality biomass resources to make biochar and biochar-infused compost, as well as the markets for biochar products around the Commonwealth, are unlimited. These resources, along with a vibrant agriculture environment and a skilled and available workforce, were an obvious recipe for a successful business made possible through the support and cooperative relationships we have in Virginia.”
Founded in 2021, SWVA Biochar produces absorbent, specially-produced charcoal with a wide variety of applications and carbon sequestering properties. It utilizes a specialized manufacturing process that converts biomass into biochar material used for filtration systems and as a soil conditioner. The company’s biochar is produced using biomass obtained from Virginia companies.