Germany pressure-cooks waste to trap 50 tons of CO2 per hectare

A German startup, Humify, has revived a nearly century-old high-pressure process known as hydrothermal humification to rapidly regenerate soil and capture significant amounts of CO2. By heating organic waste to 200°C under pressure with water, they produce artificial humic substances—nutrient-rich polymers that mimic natural soil components. When added to soil, these substances enhance moisture and mineral retention, stimulate beneficial microbial ecosystems, and can bind up to 50 tons of carbon per hectare within the first year. This method compresses a natural soil regeneration process that typically takes over 3,000 years into just weeks, offering a promising solution to soil degradation and climate change. The process repurposes the Bergius-Pier method, originally developed in the early 20th century for converting biomass into fuel, to instead restore soil health and trap carbon underground. Humify’s approach is flexible, working with various organic wastes and adaptable to local agricultural conditions. Field trials in China have shown crop yield increases of up