Reversing Climate Change 383: The Biochar Company Owned by a Data Center Company Owned by Private Equity—w/ Alastair Collier, A Healthier Earth
Jan 20, 2026
Alastair Collier, Chief R&D Officer at A Healthier Earth, shares his expertise in biochar project development. He discusses why biochar is a better fit for private equity than venture capital, emphasizing the need for developers to focus on conventional business metrics. Alastair also covers the challenges of financial structuring, the importance of clear unit economics, and the need for scalable, repeatable projects. His insights into negotiating with private equity and building robust financial cases make for a compelling conversation for anyone in carbon removal.
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Sell Contracts, Not Policy Hopes
- If you seek institutional capital, stop relying on policy-dependent revenue and show commercial contracts.
- Prioritize long-term offtakes with creditworthy counterparties over legislative promises.
Lead With Unit Economics And Yield
- Speak private equity's language: put unit economics and yield up front in your deck.
- Show five key unit metrics and whether they're contracted, tested, or estimated.
Unlevered Yield Is The PE Benchmark
- Institutional investors evaluate unlevered yield to compare infrastructure risks across sectors.
- Biochar projects can be attractive if packaged to deliver mid-teens unlevered yields at scale.
