The calorific characteristics of natural wood and engineered wood products before and after carbonisation were investigated to evaluate their potential as high-quality solid biofuels. Five biomass types—Makore (natural hardwood), MDF, Plywood, OSB, Particleboard and Coconut wood—were analysed for their higher heating values (HHV) using standard calorimetric procedures. Prior to carbonisation, calorific values ranged from 17.30 to 18.40 MJ/kg, consistent with literature for raw lignocellulosic biomass. After carbonisation, all samples exhibited substantial increases, with calorific values rising to 23.25 - 25.29 MJ/kg, in line with internationally reported values for premium charcoal. OSB recorded the highest post-carbonisation calorific value (25.29 MJ/kg), followed by plywood (24.72 MJ/kg), MDF (23.52 MJ/kg), and Makore (23.25 MJ/kg). Percentage increases ranged from 26.36% in Makore to 43.12% in OSB, demonstrating superior energy improvement in engineered wood composites. These enhancements reflect the loss of moisture and volatiles and the enrichment of fixed carbon during pyrolysis, with resin-bonded composites retaining more carbonised aromatic structures than natural wood. The findings indicate that engineered wood waste materials, particularly OSB and plywood, can serve as viable feedstocks for high-energy charcoal and briquette production, supporting waste-to-energy strategies and circular bioeconomy initiatives within the wood-processing sector. The findings contribute to sustainable biomass utilisation and bioenergy production strategies in Ghana and similar tropical regions.
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