India has millions of small farms, many an acre or less in size, cultivating rice, wheat, sugarcane, and other staple crops. And twice a year, when the harvest is done, these farms go up in flames.

Airex Energy's $10 million facility, in Bécancour, Que., will produce biocoal and biochar, materials that can be used for combustible energy, water purification, soil remediation and metallurgy ...