About Quonset Soil Solutions

Quonset Soil Solutions (QSS) was originally established to transform underutilized forestry byproducts into biochar, a proven, environmentally sound horticultural and agricultural soil amendment that also offers the added benefit of long-term CO2 sequestration. Its new state-of-the-art biochar production facility, powered by equipment designed and manufactured by Vow ASA, an Oslo, Norway-based company, in combination with the Turboden ORC system, is capable of producing 6,000 dry tons of high-carbon, low-ash biochar per year.

At the core of the project is a pyrolysis system that converts wood chips into biochar. The exhaust flue gas generated during pyrolysis, traditionally considered waste, is recovered as a renewable heat source. Through a dedicated heat exchanger and thermal oil loop, this waste heat is transferred to Turboden’s ORC system, which converts it into clean electricity without interfering with the customer’s core biochar production operations.

The electricity generated by the ORC unit is used to offset the biochar plant’s internal power consumption, enabling QSS to operate independently of the electrical grid. In addition, the hot water produced by the ORC system is recovered and used to offset the building’s heating demand, further increasing overall system efficiency.

QSS combines its own locally produced compost and loam with biochar to create a line of OMRI-listed soil amendment blends. The mission of QSS is to help reduce air and water pollution by offering environmentally safe, OMRI-certified products, while making valuable contributions to the circular economy.