This paper describes the steady-state simulation of a moving bed downdraft gasifier which allows the conversion of agricultural biomass into a hydrogen-rich gas mixture so that it has an adequate composition for being used as a feedstock in a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC). In order to emphasize the applicability of the results, fuel specifications for a 250 kW MCFC (HM-300, MTU, Friedrichshafen, Germany) was used as a reference. The final design makes possible to produce 350 Nm(3)/h of a biogas in a vessel of 0.8 m diameter x 2.5 m height capable. of treating 50 kg/h of dry biomass using 45 Nm(3)/h of air at 800 K and 1 bar. (C) 2011 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.