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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Why VC Is Poor Fit For Carbon Removal
- Venture capital often misfits carbon removal because it scales atoms, not bits.
- Biochar and other infrastructure-heavy removals need patient, lower-return capital profiles.
Becoming Pure DC's In-House Decarbonization Team
- A Healthier Earth became a wholly owned subsidiary of Pure DC after helping them with decarbonization.
- That integration led the team to refocus from biofuels toward biochar development within Pure's strategy.
Three Strategic Pillars Behind Biochar Focus
- A Healthier Earth pursued three pillars: decarbonize digital infrastructure, regenerate urban environments, and produce high-quality carbon credits.
- Biochar fit because it could scale to the capital appetite of their private equity backer.
