MTEC and Royal Project Foundation Install B-CYCLE Biochar Systems in Phayao Community

Key summary

From October 12 to 16, 2026, the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC) under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), in collaboration with the Royal Project Foundation, conducted installation and testing activities for the B-CYCLE community biochar production furnace and the B-IOT temperature monitoring and evaluation system. These systems were deployed at Ban Buai Community, Ban Tuen Subdistrict, Mueang Phayao District, Phayao Province to establish a tangible community learning center for producing and utilizing biochar. The initiative aims to address agricultural biomass waste management issues, specifically bamboo scraps from the weaving activities of Ban Buai, which previously faced risks of open burning and greenhouse gas emissions. Research teams from MTEC, together with the Department of Agriculture, transferred high-efficiency low-emission furnace technology (B-CYCLE), a temperature monitoring system (B-IOT), and standard operating procedures (SOP) to Royal Project Foundation staff and community representatives. The program began with online theoretical training followed by on-site installation of the B-CYCLE furnace, a charcoal grinder, and the B-IOT system within a greenhouse structure. A live demonstration covered every step from raw material preparation, feeding into the furnace, controlling combustion (Pyrolysis), cooling down, removing charcoal, quality checking, grinding and sieving, packaging, and delivery. Participants were also taught how to record data via mobile phones and notebooks while planning for continuous 100 burn trials to evaluate real-world performance in the area. This collaboration marks a significant step toward converting agricultural waste into value-added biochar. MTEC is promoting the use of biochar for community compost production by coordinating with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Promoting Agriculture, Ban Mai Community Soil and Fertilizer Center, and Phayao Land Development Station to create a prototype model that reduces costs, decreases chemical fertilizer usage, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions for other communities sustainably in the future.