News

Press Release from Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture

Circular Technology Helpers Pave the Way for a Green Agricultural Future – Integrated Carbon-Reduction Solutions

August 7, 2025

　　To promote the resource utilization of agricultural residues and create a sustainable circular future, the Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture (hereinafter Taoyuan DARES), has unveiled three circular technologies: the Smart Aerated Insulated Composting Device, the Continuous Aerated Composting Device, and the Biochar Kiln with Smoke Collection System. These technologies transform campus leaves, surplus farm vegetables, and orchard pruning branches into green products, building an environmentally friendly and economically viable circular model.

　　According to Taoyuan DARES, each of the three technologies has distinct applications and features:
　　1. Smart Aerated Insulated Composting Device - Modular in design, lightweight, and easy to transport, it can be quickly assembled by three people in just one hour. The insulated structure, combined with smart temperature and humidity control, enables efficient composting.
　　2. Continuous Aerated Composting Device -Designed for surplus leafy vegetables, it has a compact footprint suitable for placement in unused corners of a farm. With aerobic fermentation and heat retention, it accelerates decomposition and compost production.
　　3. Biochar Kiln with Smoke Collection System - Developed for orchard prunings, it carbonizes branches for reuse. Its smoke extraction and washing-filtration functions capture emissions during production, improving air quality while producing biochar for multiple applications.

　　The Smart Aerated Insulated Composting Device integrates automated temperature-humidity monitoring with blower control, maintaining compost temperatures up to 70 °C. This high-heat process effectively reduces pathogens and harmful organisms, ensuring compost quality. It can complete composting within three months—75% faster than traditional campus leaf composting methods—saving schools around NT$40,000 annually in waste removal costs and NT$20,000 in fertilizer expenses.

　　The Continuous Aerated Composting Device, with its insulation and continuous aeration, was tested with various composting formulas and maintained stable temperatures between 60 °C and 70 °C. It processes surplus leafy vegetables into compost within just 1.5 months, reducing odors and pests. The device is easy to operate, portable, and expandable, offering both convenience and scalability.

　　The Biochar Kiln with Smoke Collection System carbonizes orchard prunings while effectively capturing airborne particulates, reducing PM2.5 emissions, and maintaining surrounding air quality within acceptable ranges. The mobile design lowers the cost of transporting bulky branches, while the resulting biochar can be used for soil improvement or made into household products such as dehumidifying bags, creating high-value circular benefits.

　　Taoyuan DARES emphasizes that these three circular agriculture technologies have already been implemented in campuses, farms, and orchards, benefiting schools and young farmers alike by enhancing the reuse rate of agricultural residues and offering practical solutions for sustainable agriculture. Moving forward, the station will continue integrating these technologies with food and farming education, school participation, and demonstration sites, embedding circular agriculture into daily life and advancing the vision of net-zero carbon emissions.

Contact Information

Spokesperson and Deputy Director: Hsi-Pin Shih　Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 101
Agricultural Extension Section, Associate Researcher: Shing-Jong Lay　Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 410
Crop Environment Section, Associate Researcher: Hsueh-Jung Tang　Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 330
Shulin Branch, Assistant Researcher: Chao-Yuan Lu　Tel: 02-26801841 ext. 119
Crop Improvement Section, Assistant Researcher: Yung-Ming Yeh　Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 225