Hydrogen is likely to be an important energy carrier in the future, but one of the most significant challenges in hydrogen energy systems is its production. This study focuses on biomass-based hydrogen production and considers a plant intended for sustainable hydrogen production from oil palm shell using a gasification process followed by steam-methane reforming and shift reactions. The system gasifier in this investigation is modeled after the indirectly heated Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) gasifier, and the analysis utilizes the Gibbs free energy minimization approach and chemical equilibrium considerations. This system and its modifications are simulated and analyzed thermodynamically using Aspen Plus (version 11.1). The assessment involves the examination of several different factors and comparisons. The measures of merit considered include energy, exergy and cold gas efficiencies. The results are expected to be useful for the design, optimization and improvement of hydrogen production and related processes. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.