The James River Power Station in Springfield, MO, has been working with torrefied wood as a cleaner energy alternative to burning coal. Torrefaction, also known as biochar, is a process of roasting wood chips in a large furnace, but not to the point of becoming charcoal.  "We have a lot of hardwoods. We have a lot of trees that need to be cleaned up, wood chips that need to be cleaned up initially," says Steve Myers, director of the James River facility. Torrefaction has been gaining momentum in Europe, and now American companies are experimenting with the process.