Biomass
chemical looping gasification (BCLG) is a novel and promising technology
for syngas production, in which lattice oxygen in oxygen carriers
(OCs) reacts with biomass. OCs can continuously supply oxygen for
biomass gasification using a redox cycle between different reactors,
and the reduced OC can serve as a good catalyst for biomass tar and
char cracking, improving the gasification efficiency. The notable
advantages of BCLG have attracted attention around the world, particularly
in China. Chinese researchers have become the major drivers of the
development of BCLG technologies. The experience gained from the experimental
tests of BCLG in China is valuable for the further development of
BCLG. In this review, we mainly focus on the biomass feedstock, the
OC, the tar yield, the reactor, and the results of the BCLG tests
in Chinese studies. On the basis of those findings, we summarize the
criteria for biomass and the OCs in BCLG, and potential directions
for reactor development are briefly discussed. In general, the mechanism
of BCLG has been investigated in many studies, and the effects of
the operating conditions are relatively well-understood. However,
there are still few reports on BCLG units that have potential for
industrial application. The controllable composition of syngas is
worthy of further investigation, and this is required for downstream
utilization. Additionally, as a result of the low pollutant emission,
chemical looping gasification of solid wastes might be available in
the future.