Biochar can be used directly as a replacement for pulverized coal as a fuel. But one of
major distinctions between biochar and charcoal (or char) is that the former is produced
with the intent to be added to a soil as a means of sequestering carbon and enhancing soil
quality. When used as a soil amendment, biochar has been reported to boost soil fertility
and improve soil quality by raising soil pH, increasing moisture holding capacity, attracting
more beneficial fungi and microbes, improving cation exchange capacity (CEC), and
retaining nutrients in soil (Lehmann et al., 2006; Lehmann, 2007).