This program was initiated in 1979 with the main objective of establishing conditions for maximising liquid yields from biomass, particularly from forest materials. The University of Waterloo can be credited with the foundation of modern fast pyrolysis and their research is probably the most extensively published and publicised in this area. Two fluid bed reactors are used of 100 g/h and 3 kg/h. The results from these units were used to design a 200 kg/h unit for Union Electrica Fenosa in Spain as described below. Temperatures of 400-700*C have been examined with a wide range of feedstocks, pretreatment methods, various inert and reactive gases and some work on in-bed catalysts. The fluid beds were designed in a blow-through mode to entrain the char from the bed while retaining the sand hence there is no need for sand circulation or replacement. The highest yields of total liquid product are around 70 wt% on dry feed and are typically obtained at temperatures around 500‘C.