Biomass-to-biofuel technology company, Dynamotive Energy Systems Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, and environmental research company BlueLeaf Inc. have announced the results of a year-long test application of Dynamotive’s CQuest Biochar into commercial farming test plots in Quebec. Objectives of the experiment included determining the influence of biochar on certain basic physicochemical and biological soil and plant parameters, the ability of biochar to retain certain nutrients and moisture in the soil, the influence of biochar on soil microbial communities and crop and biomass yields, the influence of biochar on greenhouse gas emissions from the soil, and to evaluate a method of handling and application of biochar to the soil. Key findings indicated an increase in crop yield ranging from 6 per cent to 17 per cent in soils where biochar was applied, higher plant density and greater root depth—results illustrating the benefits of using biochar in agriculture.