WET BIOMASS TREATMENT

A process for the treatment of biomass with a relatively high water and salt content such as agricultural or forestry residues comprises: (a) mechanically pre-treating wet biomass; (b) extracting the pre-treated biomass with water at a temperature between 40 and 160A?C at a pressure which keeps water substantially liquid; ( c) dewatering the heated biomass to produce a dcwatered biomass and an aqueous effluent; ( d) optionally heating the dewatered biomass at a temperature above 160A?C; (e) drying, before or after step (d), and compacting the heat-treated biomass. The treated biomass can be used as a solid fuel. The aqueous effluent is subjected to anaerobic treatment, to produce biogas an/or alcohols. Fig. I