Gasification is an endothermic conversion of the energy stored in biomass into a form that is more suitable for various applications. In gasification, thermal energy is used to facilitate the breakdown of the organic content of biomass into its gaseous components by thermo-chemically converting solid biomass-like bio-residues into a synthesis gas that can be burned in engines to generate power. Renewable energy can be obtained from synthesis gas generated by the gasification of a low-cost biomass feedstock, making biomass a renewable energy source and gasification is a means of exploiting this resource. When a gasifier is operating in a sustainable manner, a fraction of the synthesis gas is combusted to provide the heat needed for the endothermic gasification reactions.
The gasification process in general is the result of a combination of biomass and heat, in the presence of a gasifying medium like steam or oxygen, to yield synthesis gas, pyrolysis oils or “tars” in gasification jargon, char, ash and steam.