Biomass gasification

Biomass Gasification is a process wherein a combination of heat, pressure and chemical reactions converts  biomass into a combustible gas that can produce electricity, heat and liquid fuels. This relatively older thermo chemical technique is being in the focus of energy technologist to owing to rising fuel prices and global efforts on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

Mostly, this technology is being commercially in use to produce power through coal, however there are efforts in place to adopt this technology for Clean energy resource generation. Due to cheap and  readily available biomass, this technology can provide a clean and cost-effective way to generate valuable energy products at a lower cost, while simultaneously reducing pollution. A lot of R&D work is underway in several countries to develop smaller bio-gasifiers that would produce electricity on a small-scale.

A complete gasification system consists of a gasification unit (gasifiers), purification unit, and energy converter (either a burner or internal combustion engine). The system is decentralized and operates economically whether at a large or small scale.

Besides efforts to bring small capacity biomass gasifier for small scale community or cottage industry usage, large scale gasifiers is also finding it's utility. The economic and environmental potential of large scale biomass gasification is promising, those having direct coupling to gas turbines. Such hybrid gasifier/gas turbine systems are extremely attractive because they take advantage of high efficiencies and low-grade cheap biomass feedstock to produce power at comparable or less cost than fossil-fuel-derived feedstocks.