Reverse Coal

The Reverse Coal project utilises High-Temperature Pyrolysis technology to convert fast growing biomass into high grade renewable energy and biochar that can be locked away in the ground for long term storage whilst at the same time restoring some of the UK’s most vital farmland.

Based in England, Reverse Coal is part of a larger system change, exploring innovative land use approaches that tackle the dual challenges of climate change and food security on some of the UK’s most fertile farmland – drained lowland peat. These soils are crucial for growing food, yet they release disproportionately large amounts of greenhouse gases when farmed compared to regular soils. Greenhouse gas emissions from peatland accounts for ~3.5% of the UK’s total emissions. On average drained peat soils lose one centimetre of peat every year due to oxidisation, and this has been going on for the last 400 years! At Lapwing we are rethinking this problem by turning it into an opportunity.

Through pyrolysis of biomass into biochar and renewable energy, biochar is buried in the ground in Lapwing’s patented Reverse Coal repository, locking away the carbon for greater permanence and building up the land lost over the last 400 years.

In addition to long-term storage of biochar, the team is also exploring other opportunities to use biochar in other applications across agriculture, construction and environmental industries to support wider decarbonisation.

The renewable energy generated from the facility is used in existing agricultural operations to support Lapwing decarbonise the current food production system, supporting UK food security.

By turning degraded farmland into a climate asset, Reverse Coal represents a scalable, verifiable, and multi-benefit approach to carbon removal — one that aligns permanent sequestration with the future of sustainable agriculture in the UK.

Beyond verifiable carbon removal, the Reverse Coal project is part of larger exploration at Lapwing into truly regenerative land-use approaches that deliver a wide range of environmental and socio-economic co-benefits.

As Reverse Coal grows, Lapwing will commence rewetting degraded lowland peat soils — which have been losing carbon for centuries — halting further emissions and also restoring the natural hydrology of the landscape. This rewetting plays a crucial role in reducing local flood risks and improving water quality in the area through nature-based solutions.

The transition from intensively farmed peatland to wetland paludiculture creates a mosaic of habitats for birds, insects, and small mammals. Lapwing is already a vibrant hub of over 90 bird species, reflecting the ecological richness supported by this landscape. By planting diverse biomass crops and restoring wetlands, the approach helps rebuild lost ecosystems, creating long-term ecological resilience and contributing to the UK’s biodiversity net gain goals.

In parallel, renewable energy generated supports the future of food by decarbonising agricultural operations at Lapwing and the facility will underpin the move towards Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). This shift not only frees up more land for restoration but boosts food security through climate-resilient, low-carbon crop production.

Together, these systems represent a circular, scalable model where land, food, water, and climate action are fully integrated.