Pyrolysis

thumb|Burning pieces of wood, showing various stages of pyrolysis, followed by oxidative combustion

thermal or catalytic decomposition of a compound such as a hydrocarbon into chemical species of smaller molecular weight

Gasification is a process that converts biomass- or fossil fuel-based carbonaceous materials into gases, including as the largest fractions: dinitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), dihydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (). This is achieved by reacting the feedstock material at high temperatures (typically >700 °C), without combustion, via controlling the amount of oxygen and/or steam present in the reaction. The resulting gas mixture is called syngas (from synthesis gas) or producer gas and is itself a fuel due to the flammability of the H2 and CO of which the gas is largely composed. Power

syngas fuel created by gasification of biomass

heating of solid materials to produce gaseous products (which may condense into liquids or solids)

device for producing combustible gas from timber or charcoal

process of converting coal into liquid hydrocarbons

thumb|Torrefaction removes moisture and volatiles from biomass, leaving bio-coal.

process for converting biomass into oil

Process of decomposition of organic material by heating it in the absence of air.

petroleum substitute