South Dakota Company Turns Forest Waste Into Clean Energy

Instead of watching forest waste go up in smoke, a South Dakota Navy veteran found a way to turn it into hope for farmers and clean power for thousands.

Dakota BioChar celebrated its grand opening Friday in Rockerville, launching a business that tackles two of the state's biggest challenges. Eastern South Dakota farmers struggle with depleted soil from decades of industrial agriculture. Meanwhile, Black Hills foresters burn massive piles of excess wood to prevent devastating wildfires.

Founder Justin McNeal spotted the connection while hiking past towering slash piles in the forest. His years working on nuclear submarines taught him there had to be a cleaner, smarter solution than simply burning the waste.

He found his answer in pyrolysis, a process that heats wood without oxygen. Unlike traditional fires that release carbon into the atmosphere, Dakota BioChar's reactors break down forest waste without emissions.

The main product is biochar, a soil additive that could transform struggling farmland across the state. "Biochar allows the soil to hold more nutrients," explained Head of Sales Charlie Rea. "We can charge it with fertilizer and put it down, make it a storing facility for fertilizer."

But the innovation doesn't stop there. The heat from the pyrolysis process creates clean electricity through a simple chain reaction: heat boils water, steam turns a turbine, the turbine spins a generator. McNeal plans to expand operations and eventually build a power plant to help power the entire Black Hills region.

The Ripple Effect

For now, Dakota BioChar operates from a small shop behind Baker Timber Products, which supplies the company's wood feedstock. The partnership shows how local businesses can collaborate to create regional solutions.

Dozens of industry partners attended the grand opening, signaling strong support for innovative environmental solutions in South Dakota. What started as one veteran's idea during a hike could soon restore farmland quality, reduce wildfire risk, and generate clean electricity for thousands of homes.

The company proves that the best solutions often come from seeing connections others miss. Forest waste that once burned uselessly now has three purposes: protecting soil, preventing fires, and powering communities.

McNeal's journey from nuclear submarines to forest conservation shows how technical expertise can solve environmental challenges when paired with local knowledge and entrepreneurial vision.