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Torrefied bio coal: replace coal, keep your boiler
Torrefied biomass grinds, feeds and burns much like coal, so it goes into the mills, conveyors and burners you already run. Shaiva Energy supplies it as pellets and briquettes, sold in India as bio coal and abroad as black pellets, for power co-firing, industrial boilers, cement kilns and export.
Why torrefied bio coal
Drop-in for coal. No new equipment.
It grinds in existing coal mills and runs through the same conveyors and burners. Start with a blend your operations team is comfortable with and raise it as the boiler or kiln responds.
About 6,500 kcal/kg. Fewer tonnes per unit of heat.
Our 300 °C reference sample measured 6,524 kcal/kg, more than typical Indian power-station coal and well above raw biomass. Fewer tonnes to buy, move and store for the same heat.
Low ash, low sulphur. Every lot tested.
The reference sample carried 4.95% ash and 0.11% sulphur, far below Indian coal. Every lot we supply ships with its own report from an accredited laboratory.
How torrefaction works
Torrefaction heats biomass to about 250–300 °C without oxygen. Water and the lightest volatile compounds are driven off, and the fibres that make wood tough and water-loving break down.
What is left is dense, brittle and water-resistant, with more energy per tonne. It grinds like coal instead of matting like wood, and it no longer rots in storage. Taken above about 400 °C, the same process makes biochar, which is used as carbon rather than burned. See the 400–500 °C results
How it compares
| Property | Raw biomass | White pellets | Torrefied | Coal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takes up water | Yes | Yes, swells | Largely resists | No |
| Grinds in coal mills | Poorly | Poorly | Well | Well |
| Energy per tonne | Low | Medium | Close to coal or above | High |
| Decay in storage | High | Medium | Very low | None |
| Fossil CO₂ when burned | None | None | None | High |
Reference results at 300 °C
These are the results for our benchmark sample, the standard our torrefied grades are set against. They are reference values, not a guarantee for every lot: each delivery comes with its own lab report.
| Property | Result | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Gross calorific value | 6,524 kcal/kg (27.3 MJ/kg) | ASTM D5865 |
| Fixed carbon | 57.50% | IS 1350 Part 1 |
| Volatile matter | 35.19% | IS 1350 Part 1 |
| Ash | 4.95% | IS 1350 Part 1 |
| Moisture | 2.36% | IS 1350 Part 1 |
| Sulphur | 0.11% | ASTM D4239 |
| Carbon | 71.61% | ASTM D5373 |
| Hydrogen | 4.18% | ASTM D5373 |
| Nitrogen | 1.14% | ASTM D5373 |
Wood chips torrefied at 300 °C on our technology partner's continuous rotary reactor. Tested by a national power-sector laboratory, November 2025, to IS 1350 Part 1 and ASTM D5865, D4239 and D5373. Air-dried basis.
Grades
| Grade | Use | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Shaiva TP-Power | Co-firing in pulverised-coal boilers | Pellets |
| Shaiva TP-Industrial | FBC and grate boilers, cement kilns, DRI kiln fuel | Pellets or briquettes |
| Shaiva TP-Export | Co-firing and steel use in Japan and Korea | Pellets, bulk or bagged |
On every lot we test gross calorific value, fixed carbon, volatile matter, ash, moisture, sulphur, chlorine, Hardgrove grindability index, bulk density and pellet durability. How we sample and test
Bio coal: what the name means
In India, much of this fuel is bought and sold as bio coal. The name is used loosely. It covers torrefied pellets and briquettes, but also plain biomass briquettes, sometimes called white coal, that have not been torrefied.
The difference matters in the boiler. Torrefied bio coal carries more energy per tonne, takes up far less water in storage and grinds in coal mills. Plain briquettes cost less but swell when wet and burn more like wood.
What to ask any bio coal supplier
- Is the material torrefied, and at what temperature?
- Gross calorific value, and on what basis it was measured
- Moisture, ash and sulphur, from an accredited lab
- Feedstock type and where it was sourced
- Pellet or briquette durability, if it will be stored or shipped
Where it's used
- Power co-firingSupports the Ministry of Power's 5% co-firing mandate for coal plants, 7% in the NCR.
- Boilers and kilnsReplaces coal, pet coke or firewood in process heat and cement kilns.
- Steel plantsCaptive power and DRI kiln fuel alongside metallurgical biochar.
- ExportBlack pellets for Japanese and Korean co-firing and steel buyers.
Torrefied biomass is also a uniform, grindable feedstock for gasification projects making methanol, sustainable aviation fuel or hydrogen.
Torrefied biomass questions
Is torrefied biomass the same as biochar?
No. Torrefied biomass is made at a lower temperature, about 250–300 °C, and keeps most of its energy, so it is burned as a fuel. Biochar is made at a higher temperature and is used as renewable carbon in steelmaking, in soil or for carbon removal.
Can torrefied pellets be co-fired in an existing coal boiler?
Usually yes, at co-firing rates. Torrefied biomass grinds in coal mills and resists moisture. NTPC has demonstrated 20% torrefied-biomass co-firing at its Tanda plant. We recommend a trial lot first.
What calorific value does torrefied biomass have?
It depends on feedstock and process temperature. Our reference sample of wood chips torrefied at 300 °C measured 6,524 kcal/kg (27.3 MJ/kg) gross calorific value, air-dried, at a national power-sector laboratory. Indian utilities buying torrefied pellets typically specify about 3,400–5,000 kcal/kg. Every lot we supply comes with its own lab report.
Do you export black pellets?
Yes. We quote FOB or CIF to Japan, Korea and other markets, with lot-wise lab data shared before shipment.
Is bio coal the same as torrefied biomass?
Not always. In India, bio coal is a trade name used both for torrefied pellets and briquettes and for ordinary biomass briquettes, sometimes called white coal. Torrefied bio coal has a higher calorific value, takes up far less water and grinds like coal. Always buy against a lab report that states calorific value, moisture and ash.
Where can I buy bio coal in bulk in India?
Shaiva Energy supplies torrefied bio coal pellets and briquettes in bulk to power plants, industrial boilers and cement kilns across India, and exports black pellets. Send your boiler type, monthly tonnes and delivery point for a quote.
Planning to cut coal this year?
Plant engineers: tell us the boiler or kiln. Procurement: the monthly tonnes and delivery point. Sustainability teams: the fuel you want to replace. For exports, add the destination port and Incoterm.
Every enquiry reaches our team directly. Tell us the grade, monthly tonnes and delivery point and we reply with specifications, a price basis and lead time.