Permitting progress for 6040 carbonizer

The Tigercat 6040 carbonizer is a mobile, track-mounted unit that transforms woody debris into high-quality biochar onsite. It reduces volume by 90% and sequesters 20-30% of the available carbon in the feedstock, while slashing emissions by up to 98% compared to traditional processes.

Breakthrough technology should be effective and easy to deploy. When Tigercat Industries introduced this mobile carbonizing solution, it entered a space with no established regulatory framework. Recognizing that customers need confidence before investing in new equipment, we made a deliberate decision: work together with regulators from day one to build clear, repeatable permitting pathways.

Following, is a summary of what we’ve accomplished to date with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state agencies — and how it creates real peace of mind for future 6040 owners.

Defining milestone with the EPA

Early in the process, Tigercat applied to the EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management for a non-applicability determination under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The key question was straightforward: When the 6040 processes clean, untreated cellulosic biomass (such as forest residues or clean wood debris) to produce biochar, is the wood considered solid waste or a process ingredient?

The EPA’s favourable response was clear: the feedstock is treated as a process ingredient, not discarded material. This determination means the 6040 is not regulated as an Other Solid Waste Incineration (OSWI) unit under CAA Section 129 and does not require a Title V operating permit for clean wood biochar production (provided no other Title V triggers apply).

Additionally, because the 6040 is a self-propelled, track-mounted vehicle designed for mobility across off road terrain, it is not classified as a stationary source under Clean Air Act Section 111 (which defines stationary sources as buildings, structures, facilities, or installations that emit or may emit air pollutants). Section 111 focuses on New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for stationary sources. The unit’s mobility and non-stationary nature further support its exemption from stationary-source-specific requirements under Section 111, aligning with the EPA’s distinction between stationary sources and mobile/non-road sources regulated (if applicable) under other CAA titles.