Abstract
Biomass can be converted to fuels via thermal and chemical conversion processes. These could include combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis. The yield and/or quality of one or more specific products depend on the operating parameters of the conversion process. In this chapter, the current status of pyrolysis and gasification technologies and challenges faced by them to replace fossil fuels are discussed. The presence of oxygenated compounds in the pyrolysis oil poses a key challenge in its use as a liquid fuel. Consequently, additional refining steps such as hydrotreating or hydrocracking are needed to improve the quality of biooil. Emerging pyrolysis-based processes such as thermo-catalytic reforming, catalytic fast pyrolysis, and microwave pyrolysis are explored further in this chapter. If technological advancements can solve the current challenges, biomass can be foreseen as an efficient energy carrier with high CO2 emission reduction potential.
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