Black Bull Biochar is entering an ambitious new phase of growth, taking its work in carbon removal, renewable heat and industrial decarbonisation to a new level.
Innovation grant funding
New jobs forecast by 2028
Projected three-year sales
“To keep the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement within reach, the world needs to remove seven to nine billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2050,” says Black Bull Biochar (BBB) Co-founder and CEO Alex Clarke. “Our mission is to help meet that challenge by scaling carbon removal through decentralised systems – driving innovation, jobs and sustainable manufacturing.”
See how support from GM Business Growth Hub is helping the Manchester business accelerate this next stage of commercial growth.
Growth with global impact
BBB supplies renewable heat to industrial partners and develops biochar – a carbon-rich material that can improve soil health while locking away carbon – for agricultural use. Its work helps manufacturers reduce emissions and supports more sustainable farming.
Biochar is “quickly becoming one of the most practical, scalable climate tools available today”, says Alex – former energy policy adviser at the UK’s independent scientific academy, the Royal Society – and BBB has grown rapidly since launching in 2021.
One of the first companies in the UK to become European Biochar Certificate (EBC) certified, it has established partnerships with major organisations including M&S, Arla and Avara Foods, as well as securing backing through the M&S Plan A Accelerator and Innovate UK. In 2025, it featured in PwC UK’s Net Zero Future50, which showcases the climate-tech start-ups helping to decarbonise key sectors of the economy, and in 2026 relocated its headquarters from London to Manchester to strengthen its regional impact.
“We want to lead the UK’s transition to carbon-negative energy and agriculture, while helping create a new generation of net zero engineers and green jobs,” says Alex. “GM Business Growth Hub has been an important part of our expansion, helping us strengthen the commercial case, access funding and accelerate wider deployment of the technology.”
Funding and support to drive commercialisation
Central to Alex’s ambition is building a network of profitable, decentralised pyrolysis sites across the UK and Europe, where sustainably sourced biomass such as wood and woodchip is turned into renewable heat and biochar.
By locating this equipment on industrial sites, BBB can supply that heat directly to manufacturers and other energy users, helping them cut carbon emissions while also producing biochar as a valuable low-carbon product.
One of the first sites established was with an industrial partner, where BBB’s technology helps the manufacturer make better use of both waste and renewable heat. A key barrier to a wider commercial rollout, however, was the lack of smart thermal storage, which meant the energy could not be retained and used when needed, limiting efficiency and reducing the site’s full decarbonisation potential.
To help address this challenge, Alex and his team approached GM Business Growth Hub’s Innovation Service. A £50,000 innovation grant was awarded to half-fund the design, installation and validation of a new 30,000-litre modular heat buffer to enable BBB’s system to store excess heat at quieter periods and release it during peaks in demand.
“This was an important milestone for us, because it helped prove the commercial potential of the model in a live industrial setting,” says Alex. “By solving the heat storage challenge, we can unlock more value from the heat we produce, strengthen confidence among future investors and clients, and support wider deployment across industrial and agricultural markets.”
As well as the funding, the role of the Innovation Service included:
- A full Commercialisation Readiness Assessment to identify strategic, operational, technical and financial barriers to market.
- Co-developing a detailed Project Brief to scope system integration requirements and refine the commercial proposition.
- Supporting supplier due diligence through evaluation matrices, ensuring value‑for‑money and technical suitability.
- Guiding BBB through the Expression of Interest, application drafting and evidence requirements, including validating timelines, milestones and financial projections required for grant approval.
Black Bull Biochar are now also working with Made Smarter on support for their production site in Bury.
Boasting a growing pipeline of deals, BBB’s sales are now projected to increase from £786,000 in the 2025/26 financial year to a three-year forecast of £11.5 million for 2025-28. The business also expects the project to contribute to 27 additional roles being created by 2028.
With strong in-house R&D capabilities and additional collaborations with leading institutions including the University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the company has built a strong technical platform for growth.
Long-term regional impact
Black Bull Biochar is working with local education providers to help build the region’s net zero workforce. Through Rochdale College, it is giving students hands-on exposure to clean-tech innovation. Additional revenue from the project has enabled BBB to hire its first apprentice.
The North West of England is home to one of the UK’s most diverse and energy-intensive industrial clusters, making it an ideal region for BBB’s model. The region hosts major operations in glass manufacturing, chemicals, food processing, and waste-to-energy facilities, all of which have high thermal demand and growing pressure to decarbonise.
BBB’s systems offer a replicable solution for these industries, enabling them to reduce fossil fuel use, lower Emissions Trading Scheme liabilities, and improve efficiency.
Call us on 0161 359 3050 or email bgh@growthco.uk to find out how GM Business Growth Hub can help your company.
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