Pyrolysis

Bioeconomy Knowledge Centre

Pyrolysis is the thermochemical conversion of biomass into bio-oils (pyrolysis oils), gases and a solid product (biochar) in the absence of oxygen at lower temperatures than combustion or gasification, ranging between 450 – 600 ºC (typically 500 ºC) (Basu, 2018; Bridgwater, 2018). Pyrolysis produces different outputs with variable properties depending on the type of process adopted. The relative quantities of the products and their composition is strongly influenced by the pyrolysis temperature, the heating rate, and the residence time of the feedstock (period of time during which feedstock remains in a particular area or in a particular part of a system).

Pyrolysis can also be used as a pre-treatment step for gasification and biofuels production.

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Motola, V., Scarlat, N, Buffi, M., Hurtig, O., Rejtharova, J., Georgakaki, A., Mountraki, A., Letout, S., Salvucci, R., Rózsai, M. and Schade, B., Clean Energy Technology Observatory: Bioenergy in the European Union - 2024 Status Report on Technology Development, Trends, Value Chains and Markets, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/0461007, JRC139331

Source category: Scientific and Technical Literature

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Reference description	EU, 2024
Originally Published \| Last Updated	19 Mar 2025 \| 20 Mar 2025
Knowledge service \| Metadata	Bioeconomy Knowledge Centre
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET)	biomass biofuel

Key resources

Wood Resource Balance factsheets for the EU and Member States

The JRC Biomass Mandate

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