Plantd Launches Biochar Line, Turning Waste Into Revenue & Better Soil

Advanced manufacturer expands beyond structural building panels, converting production byproduct into a silica-rich soil amendment for agriculture

OXFORD, N.C., Aug. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plantd, a company reimagining American manufacturing from the ground up by turning fast-growing perennial grass into high-performance products, today announced the launch of a new biochar product line, converting a manufacturing byproduct into a soil amendment that boosts crop yields and soil health while advancing the company's zero-waste, maximum carbon sequestration strategy.

The product, derived from the perennial grass feedstock used in Plantd's flagship structural panels, is now available to growers and agricultural customers. Unlike biochar made from woody biomass, Plantd's grass-based biochar naturally has a higher silica content, supporting plant vigor, soil structure, and nutrient efficiency, with applications spanning vegetable and berry production, turf and golf, regenerative and organic farms, and clay soil remediation.

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"We didn't set out to build a soil amendment business; we set out to solve a waste problem," said Nathan Silvernail, Co-Founder and CEO of Plantd. "It turns out the same renewable grass that makes our panels stronger and more cost-effective than OSB also makes an exceptional biochar. This is what a real zero-waste manufacturing model looks like, where every part of the process becomes a product.”

"Not all biochar performs the same in the field. Our high silica content biochar has been shown to improve crop disease resistance and shows promise for delivering stronger agricultural performance than wood-based biochar," said Dr. Janel Ohletz, Plantd's Director of Agriculture. "Those benefits stack on top of the soil health improvements biochar delivers regardless of feedstock, including better water retention, improved soil structure, naturally raised soil pH, and stable, long-term carbon storage."

A research team at North Carolina A&T State University is already running field trials that compare Plantd's biochar against compost, basalt rock, and other soil amendments while measuring impacts on soil biological activity, nutrient availability, water retention, and crop performance. The researchers plan to expand their examination with a greenhouse study, further strengthening the understanding of how Plantd's biochar performs in a controlled agricultural setting.

"As an academic partner, I am excited to collaborate with Plantd in evaluating the performance of its biochar under field conditions for vegetable crops in the southeastern U.S.," said Dr. Biswanath Dari, Assistant Professor and Soil Health Extension Specialist at North Carolina A&T State University. "Our goal is to generate rigorous, field-based evidence that helps farmers at scale understand how biochar can contribute to healthier soils, greater agricultural resilience, and more environmentally sustainable production systems."

North America already commands more than half of the global biochar market and, with the U.S. segment growing at 13% annually, is on track to exceed $1 billion in the early 2030s, according to Grand View Research. Yet supply has remained a persistent challenge.

Plantd produces the biochar near its biomass supply and agricultural customers, consistent with its broader manufacturing model of locating production close to feedstock and end markets to minimize logistics costs. The company is working with a biomass processing partner, including Qualterra, to scale output. Looking ahead, Plantd plans to capture energy generated during the biochar production process and redirect it back into their manufacturing operations, which will further reduce their electrical costs over time.

Plantd's core structural panels are already used by major homebuilders as a drop-in replacement for OSB, offering greater moisture resistance and strength at a more stable price point than traditional wood-based products. The company's panels have also found a home outside of construction, with furniture manufacturers adopting the material for high-end product lines. The biochar line represents Plantd's expansion into products for the agriculture industry, leveraging the same vertically integrated supply chain that underpins its panel business.

About Plantd

Plantd is reimagining American manufacturing from the ground up. We’re building an advanced production platform that turns fast-growing perennial grass into high-performance carbon products, starting with building materials, using fully automated, clean-powered systems. From field to factory, Plantd’s vertically integrated model combines proprietary agriculture with first-of-its-kind production technology to pull carbon from the atmosphere and turn it into durable, affordable materials. Led by former SpaceX engineers, Plantd is backed by strategic investors and a landmark partnership with D.R. Horton, America’s largest homebuilder. The company has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and won Most Innovative Start-Up at the International Builders’ Show. Learn more at plantdmaterials.com.