The gasification of cedar wood using highly efficient Rh/CeO2/SiO2(60) catalyst and air as a gasifying agent has been investigated in a continuous feeding fluidized bed gasifier at low temperatures (823-973 K). Regarding the carbon conversion and syngas formation, Rh/CeO2/SiO2(60) catalyst exhibited much better results than conventional Ni and dolomite catalysts, and the non-catalytic process. The performance of Rh/CeO2/SiO2 was very dependent on the loading amount of CeO2; in this case 60% CeO2 on SiO2 was the most suitable. In the case of the most effective catalyst, Rh/CeO2/SiO2(60), no severe deactivation was observed even in the longer reaction time (4 h). The catalyst developed in the cellulose gasification is also applicable to the gasification of real biomass (wood powder). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.