NetZero
Challenges
The IPCC estimates that in order to achieve global climate goals, we need to remove at least five billion tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere every year by 2050. When put into soils, biochar is a long-term sequestration solution that has the capacity to sustainably remove up to two billion tonnes of CO₂ each year. It is still rarely used, despite all its benefits – agricultural productivity, soil regeneration and resilience, reduced fertiliser use, etc.
The Project
NetZero repurposes agricultural residues from tropical crops, particularly coffee, by converting them into biochar through a local, circular model at an industrial scale. Since its founding in 2021, the company has built several facilities where these residues are transformed into soil amendments, which are then sold back to farmers at an affordable price. This model offers multiple benefits – it enables the utilisation of large volumes of residues that are otherwise difficult to manage at scale due to their dispersed nature, while durably storing in soils the carbon captured by plants. Consequently, this model generates high-quality carbon credits, which NetZero sells exclusively to companies with credible decarbonisation strategies.
After launching a pilot in Cameroon, NetZero is expanding its solution to Brazil, where multiple sites are now operational. The company also plans to expand into high-potential markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia. By 2030, the company aims to have several hundred biochar production plants in place in partnership with major agricultural players, enabling the removal of millions of tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Ambitious ESG Policy
Axel Reinaud, co-founder and CEO of NetZero
Key Facts
Company: NetZero
Infrastructure: Technology-Based Solution – Biochar
Geographic Area: Brazil
Stake: €10 M
Since: 2024
Co-shareholders: Stellantis, L’Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration, Innovx