As the world’s second largest producer and exporter of palm oil, Malaysia’s palm oil industry leaves behind huge amounts of biomass waste from its plantation and milling activities such as empty fruit bunch, palm kernel shell (PKS), palm frond and palm trunk. Generally, most of the waste generated is disposed of via open dumping, used as solid fuel in boilers, or used as fertilizers. To enhance the use of the abundant biomass generated by the oil palm industry in Malaysia, conversion of biomass to biochar could be a promising alternative. Biochar has the strength in improving long term soil productivity and capable of sequestering carbon in soils to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide to atmosphere. This research project aims to investigate and optimize the use of PKS for biochar production through slow pyrolysis by using the Biochar Experimenter’s Kit (BEK) from All Power Labs, California. PKS was pyrolyzed at 400 °C for an hour. Biochar and the pyrolysis by-products were then collected. The biochar was then selectively characterized for its physicochemical properties such as proximate and ultimate analysis, pH, water holding capacity and BET surface area.