On 27 September 2012 a new publication, entitled ‘Handbook of Biomass Gasification – Second Edition', has been released. This Handbook, which is published by BTG Biomass Technology Group BV, is the successor of the first handbook, issued in 2005.

Biomass gasification is the thermal conversion of a heterogeneous solid material into a gaseous intermediate fuel, consisting primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, that can be used for the production of heat, power, liquid fuels, and chemicals. Biomass is the only renewable source of organic carbon, and its use is a key issue of sustainable development. The gasification of biomass has the potential to offer a major contribution to meeting the international targets for CO2 mitigation.

Confidence in biomass gasification waned somewhat in the first years after the turn of the century as the technology did not fully meet the high expectations. Dedicated R&D projects sponsored by the European Commission and several national governments in the nineties did not lead immediately to major technological breakthroughs. The current interest in establishing a bio-based economy is offering new opportunities to boost biomass gasification, and in the last few years quite some technical progress has been made. The release of a second edition of the Handbook on Biomass Gasification, after the first edition that was published in 2005, thus seemed timely.

This fully updated and expanded Handbook of Biomass Gasification reviews the current state of technology and describe the latest success stories. Compared with the first edition, it not only contains updates of topics covered earlier, but also several new chapters which we trust will be of interest to the biomass gasification community. The Handbook aims to guide newcomers as well as persons that are already familiar with and/or involved in biomass gasification, be it as researchers and technology developers, policy developers, investors, end-users and/or other decision makers.

The preparation of the Handbook is made possible by the pro bono contribution of respected international experts regarding various aspects of biomass gasification. Hopefully this book will become a valuable tool in disseminating knowledge and helping the further development of biomass gasification as an efficient and commercial technology for the renewable production of heat, power, liquid fuels, and chemicals.

The Handbook on Biomass Gasification – Second Edition consist of the following chapters:

Introduction
Success stories
Gasification and combustion kinetics of biomass chars
Standardisation and continuous on-line tar measurement
Waste to energy through gasification
A review of syngas cleaning technologies
Gasification of biomass derived intermediates in entrained flow gasifiers
Entrained Flow Gasification of Bio-Oil for Syngas
Biomass gasification in supercritical water
BioSNG - A renewable substitute for natural gas
Waste to energy through gasification
Permitting and utility interconnect of biomass gasification systems - perspective from the United States
Multiple-stage gasification - tar cracking gasifiers
Field monitoring results in developing countries
Health, safety and environmental aspects of biomass gasification
Legal requirements towards HSE for biomass gasification plants
Theoretical Aspects of Risk Assessment
Potential hazards and good design principles
Improving the public perception of bioenergy
Status of Thermochemical Gasification of Biomass in Germany
Status of Thermochemical Gasification of Biomass in China
Status of Thermochemical Gasification of Biomass in India