In general, the process of gasification uses high heat and low oxygen to turn carbon-based fuel into energy. This process differs from standard combustion because it uses far less oxygen, and it relies on a series of stages to make the process happen.

The key to this process is the combination of a controlled amount of oxygen, intense heat, and adequate combustion time. At the end of the reaction between the fuel and the oxygen, the resulting hot gasses are used for heating by transfer to water, which is distributed to the building. While wood gasification in most wood boilers is not true gasification with extremely low oxygen, the process utilizes all of the key gasification concepts.