Integrating gasifiers with gas turbines, aeroderivative gas turbines in particular, makes it possible to achieve high efficiencies and low unit capital costs in modest-scale biomass power generating facilities. Electricity produced with biomass-integrated gasifier/gas turbine (BIG/GT) power systems would be competitive with electricity produced from coal and nuclear energy under a wide range of circumstances. Biomass also offers major environmental benefits. Initial applications will be with biomass residues generated in agro- and forest-product industries. Eventually, biomass grown for energy purposes on dedicated energy farms will also be used to fuel these gas turbine systems. Continuing improvements in jet engine and biomass gasification technologies will lead to further gains in the performance of BIG/GT systems over the next couple of decades. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.