TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The apparatus includes: separation columns mounted over various sections of the preheating receptacle and the torrefaction receptacle to collect by products from the biomass material when the same is subjected to different liquid temperatures; and a liquid reservoir receptacle activated by sensor means in one of the receptacles to replenish liquid into the cooling receptacle, where the sensor means is mounted to the cooling receptacle to sense the liquid level in cooling chamber. The torrefaction receptacle has microwave generating means mounted on it to provide 5.8 GHz microwaves. The biomass feed housing is a feed hopper with a heat exchange means mounted on it, where the heat exchange means is in the form of a coil shaped conduit. In the apparatus at least one pump is connected to coil shaped conduit leading to or away from the feed hopper. The heat exchange means comprises a conduit means with one end connected to the proximal end of the cooling receptacle and communicating with the cooling chamber, another end connected to the preheating receptacle and communicating with the preheating chamber and a pump mounted to the conduit means to transport liquid from the cooling chamber back to the preheating chamber. The agitation means is mounted to the torrefaction receptacle housing.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The second station is additionally heated with micro-wave radiation having a frequency of 5.8 gigahertz (GHz). The torrefaction liquid has its flow directed in a counter-current direction opposite to the direction of travel of the biomass material during the preheating, torrefaction and cooling steps. The heating liquid for each of the steps (a), (c) and (e) is separately filtered and regenerated. In the method, the gases and waste products emitted during the heating of the biomass material are collected by many continuous collection chimneys mounted over the first and second stations. The torrefaction temperature is at least 300 degrees C. The liquid in contact with the pellets is agitated in the step (c1). Preferred Components: The biomass material is pre-formed pellets. The torrefaction liquid is contained in a closed flow circuit including a housing defining a torrefaction chamber, a pump (63) for moving liquid out of the torrefaction chamber to a heater for heating the liquid to 230-300 degrees C, and conduit (65) means for returning the heated liquid from the heater back to the housing. In the method each station is an upper open ended receptacle, where the receptacle is a trough with an open upper section. The heated liquid is taken from a group of liquids comprising at least one of silicone oil, vegetable oil, petroleum based oil, synthetic oil, used oil, coal/peat distilled liquid or low temperature metals. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.