A bed material of limestone was used in order to reduce/eliminate the tendency for bed material agglomeration and sintering that normally occurs in plants that operate with the traditional silica bed material. Combustion tests were carried out in a bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) combustion pilot plant (1 MWth). Mass balances of the inorganic elements and ash characterisation with respect to bed agglomeration, fouling and emissions were performed in the BFB combustion pilot plant. Limestone bed material with particle sizes between 0.25 and 2 mm, corresponding to a mean fluidisation velocity of 1.2 m/s and at a mean bed temperature of 775 degrees C, were chosen. It has been successfully proven that the limestone bed material eliminates the bed agglomeration. The calcium particles, which escape from the limestone bed material and are adhered on heat exchangers, reduce the sintering of ash deposits on the tubes. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.