We turn Hawai‘i's invasive biomass into premium biochar — restoring island soils, conserving water, and sequestering carbon for generations.
Our mission is to deploy high-carbon-content biochar and restore the indigenous soil structure of Hawai‘i's agricultural complex — combating 100 years of plantation monocrops, chemical farming, and poor practices that have stripped our soils of nutrients and microbial life.
This is our time, our opportunity — to lead a statewide soil health initiative, deploy biochar at scale, and sequester carbon deep in the living soil of our islands.
From upcountry Maui to Hāmākua coffee farms, biochar adapts to what each field needs.
Boosts microbial life and nutrient retention so crops thrive in volcanic and depleted soils alike.
Holds up to 6× its weight in water — critical for Hawai‘i's leeward and drought-prone regions.
Each ton of biochar locks ~3 tons of CO₂ into the soil for centuries. Real, measurable drawdown.
Produced on-island from invasive species and ag waste. Lower freight, stronger local economy.
We pair a high-density agricultural byproduct with a renewable plantation hardwood — building a resilient, carbon-smart supply chain rooted in the islands.
Hawaiian macadamia nut shells — a dense, high-lignin byproduct of one of the islands' signature crops. The result is biochar with the highest fixed-carbon content available, engineered for permanence in the soil.
We're tapping into Hawaiian plantation eucalyptus as a long-term, viable feedstock — adding another layer of carbon-smart commodities and securing a renewable, scalable supply for statewide deployment.
Every batch is traceable from the forest it came from to the farm it serves. Clean pyrolysis, lab-tested carbon, and farmer-first delivery.
We collect invasive biomass — albizia, strawberry guava, macnut shells — that would otherwise burn or rot.
Low-oxygen kilns transform biomass into stable carbon at 500–700°C, capturing energy along the way.
Each batch is tested and inoculated, then blended for the soil and crop you grow.
Delivered statewide. We support farmers from a single bag to full-field application.
Our biochar facility sits on a 12-acre industrial property in Kawaihae, on the leeward coast of Hawai‘i Island — operating on land within the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. As a native Hawaiian company, our work is grounded in deep values of conservation, stewardship, and mālama ‘āina — caring for the land that cares for us.
12-acre industrial site on the Big Island's leeward coast — ideal for statewide logistics by sea and road.
Operating on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, building economic opportunity for our lāhui.
Industrial-grade pyrolysis capacity engineered to serve farms across all the Hawaiian Islands.
Located on the beautiful North Kohala coast, our facility is positioned next to Kawaihae Deep Draft Commercial Harbor — giving us direct access to barge logistics for deploying carbon-smart commodities across the outer islands.
Direct proximity to Kawaihae Deep Draft Harbor enables efficient inter-island shipment to O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i.
Built with the finest materials and manufacturing — engineered to deliver consistent, high-carbon-content biochar at industrial scale.
Our co-product macadamia nut shell pyrolysis oils further support our net-negative import substitution platform.
Every ton produced displaces imported soil amendments and fossil-derived fuels — keeping carbon, capital, and capability in the islands.
A closer look at our Kawaihae operations — reactors, pyrolysis stacks, and storage vessels set against the leeward coast of Hawai‘i Island.
Photographs by Keoni Ford.
We've taken decarbonization seriously — but for us, it's about people and place. Caring for the land that carries us. We've coined this Carbon Kuleana — an embodiment of aloha ‘āina, stewardship, and best practices. Our collaborative effort is draped in lei aloha.
“He waʻa he moku,
he moku he waʻa.”
The canoe is an island, the island is a canoe — what sustains one sustains the other. We sail together, or not at all.
"Aloha ʻāina is not a slogan — it's a daily practice."
A glimpse of the work behind the words: hands, soil, and the quiet rhythm of stewardship that turns Carbon Kuleana into living practice.
Love and reverence for the land. Every ton of carbon stored is an act of care for generations not yet here.
Woven together — farmers, kūpuna, scientists, and partners. No single strand carries the work alone.
Lab-tested carbon, transparent sourcing, and pyrolysis tuned for permanence. Stewardship you can measure.
AgEnergy Hawaiʻi products support the ahupuaʻa mauka to makai — protecting our precious watershed, providing fire-mitigation tools for forest management, and storing nutrients and indigenous microbial organisms for generations to come.
Forests stewarded. Watersheds restored.
Clean water to the reef. Soils that hold the rain.
Biochar-amended soils slow runoff, filter sediment, and recharge aquifers — keeping fresh water clean from ridge to reef.
Converting fire-prone invasive biomass into stable carbon reduces fuel loads and gives forest managers a working tool against wildfire.
Stores nutrients and houses indigenous microbial communities in the soil — a legacy of fertility for generations to come.
He waʻa he moku — we move as one crew.
"We get our keiki excited about soil."
Like a giant sponge, healthy soil holds water so plants can sip all week.
Tiny bugs and microbes turn leaves and shells into plant food.
With water and food, roots dig deep and leaves reach for the sun.
Rooted in our culture, building the Hawaiian soil landscape for the next generations. Every ton of biochar we produce is an investment in the keiki who will inherit this ʻāina — and a commitment to leaving the land better than we found it.
"Biochar deployment builds lifetime relationships — connecting farmers and friends alike, growing gardens of change."
AgEnergy Hawaiʻi stands shoulder-to-shoulder with HiCCSU partners — collaborating across science, industry, and community to deliver real, measurable carbon drawdown for the Hawaiian Islands.
Deep roots in the community and Hawaiian institutional support. Led by Keoni Ford, the AGH leadership team — through HI-CCSU consortium partners, including founding member DIBSHAWAII, Hui Ho‘olako Hawaiian Initiatives, Ho‘oulu Holdings, the L.E.I. Foundation, Friends of Waimānalo, Ohana Hui Ventures, and Naer Inc. — has secured strong backing from the State Legislature and Governor's office to advance decarbonization (Hawaii Act 198 SB2865).
President
Sets strategic direction and leads resource planning. Primary interface with large biochar customers, community stakeholders, and government partners advancing long-term policy.
Director of Operations
Runs the day-to-day plant — workforce training, safety protocols, and supplier relationships that keep raw materials and production inputs flowing reliably.
Director of Technology
Evaluates new product development — hydrogen power-to-fuel, liquid CO₂, nitrogen, and biochar oil byproducts — with market consultants and labs to size returns.
Director of Community Strategies
Builds awareness of benefits to ‘āina (land, air, water, people) and co-creates economic, educational, and career-pathway initiatives that honor community values.
Director of Finance & Administration
Leads financial reporting, treasury, tax strategy, payroll, and HR. Keeps QuickBooks, reconciliation, and day-to-day office operations running smoothly.
Director of Marketing & IT
Maintains plant computer systems and IT communications, converts commercial farming engagement into purchase orders, and supports the online consumer rollout.
Want to talk story with our team? We welcome partners, farmers, and community leaders ready to grow regenerative agriculture across the islands.
Whether you're amending a backyard lo‘i or scaling a thousand acres, we'll help you get the right blend, delivered across the islands.
