Microsoft has signed a long-term agreement with U.S.-based biochar company Liferaft to purchase one million carbon removal units over the next 10 years, backing a climate solution that also carries agricultural and local economic benefits. The deal, among the largest biochar-based carbon removal agreements to date and the largest announced so far in the United States, will be fulfilled through Liferaft’s facilities in Iowa and Illinois. There, agricultural and municipal biomass from the surrounding region will be processed into biochar, a stable form of carbon that can be added to soil to store carbon for centuries while also improving soil health.
The agreement highlights the growing appeal of carbon removal projects that extend beyond emissions goals. In addition to removing carbon from the atmosphere, Liferaft said its Midwest projects are expected to create jobs in rural communities and support farmers and land managers through better use of biomass waste and improved land outcomes. Microsoft said the deal aligns with its broader push to become carbon negative by 2030 and reflects interest in projects that pair durable climate impact with practical community value.