## 3 Results  
### Feedstock Properties  
The proximate and ultimate analyses, along with HHV measurements, were carried out in triplicate with CPH chips. The results, summarized in Table 1, include mean values and standard deviations. The low standard deviation across replicates confirms the consistency of the data. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Proximate Analysis (\% m/m)**} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Ultimate Analysis (\% m/m)**} \\ \hline
**Volatile Matter** & **Fixed Carbon** & **Ash** & **Moisture** & **N** & **C** & **H** & **O** & **S** & **HHV (kcal-kg-1)** \\ \hline
59.66 & 18.18 & 9.45 & 12.71 & 0.91 & 45.50 & 5.32 & 0.13 & 4233.01 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Proximate and ultimate analyses and HHV of cocoa pod husks. The moisture content of 12.71% in the biomass is relatively low, indicating that the sample is well dried, which is advantageous for storage and handling. This low moisture content also makes the biomass suitable for thermochemical treatments. The volatile matter content is 59.66%, which suggests that the biomass has a high proportion of easily ignitable organic material, making it favorable for energy generation, as well as for gasification and pyrolysis processes. The fixed carbon content of 18.18% reflects a considerable amount of carbon in the biomass, which is positive for its potential energy value. The ash content is 9.45%, which is considered moderate. High ash content can affect combustion efficiency and generate residues that may cause issues with equipment; however, the value of 9.45% is not excessively high and warrants further examination of the biomass behavior in subsequent analyses. In comparison with other biomasses, such as rice straw, CPHs exhibit notable differences in their composition. [PERSON] et al. [26] found that rice straw had a moisture content between 10 and 20%, volatile matter content between 75 and 85%, fixed carbon content between 15 and 25%, and ash content ranging from 0.1 to 0.7%. While rice straw had higher volatile matter content, which suggests it might perform better in gasification and pyrolysis processes, the lower moisture content in CPHs is more favorable for combustion. Fixed carbon values are comparable between both biomasses. However, the significant difference lies in the ash content, as rice straw showed much lower ash levels (0.1-0.7%), while CPHs have a moderate 9.45%. This higher ash content could pose challenges in direct combustion and may require higher-temperature systems capable of handling ash more efficiently. [PERSON] (2009) also provides useful comparisons with wheat straw, revealing similar trends, with 5.8% moisture, 70.8% volatile matter, 18.3% fixed carbon, and 5.11% ash content [27]. Here, CPHs again have higher ash content compared to the wheat straw, emphasizing the need to address this issue in combustion or other energy conversion processes. The elemental analysis of the CPHs reveals a carbon content of 45.50%, a hydrogen content of 5.32%, and a nitrogen content of 0.91%. The relatively high carbon content highlights the energy potential of this biomass, and the hydrogen content further increases its heating value, making it suitable for combustion and gasification. The low nitrogen content (0.91%) is beneficial since it reduces the formation of harmful NOx emissions during combustion, a factor that aligns with findings by [PERSON] (2022), who studied hay biomass with a nitrogen content of 1.16% [28]. The sulfur content of 0.13% is also favorable as it minimizes SO2 emissions, similar to what was found in the hay biomass study. In terms of elemental comparison, [PERSON] et al. (2024) studied common biomass, which showed a carbon content of 50.04% [29]. Although the CPHs' carbon content is slightly lower, it still represents a high potential for energy. Moreover, the moisture content was not specified in [PERSON] et al.