A method of forming a solid fuel element having a predetermined density, the element comprising a first component being a woody biomass component and and a second component being a binder component, the method comprising: (a) providing the woody biomass component, the woody biomass component comprising woody biomass particles having a predetermined woody biomass particle size distribution; (b) providing the binder component, the binder component comprising binder particles having a predetermined binder particle size distribution; (c) mixing the woody biomass component and the binder component together to form an uncompressed mixture, the uncompressed mixture comprising at least about 70% and at most about 80% by weight of the woody biomass component and at least about 20% and at most about 30% by weight of the binder component, wherein the uncompressed mixture is heated to a preselected temperature that is greater than a glass transition temperature of the binder component and less than a melting temperature of the binder component; (d) providing a first compression assembly comprising a first cylinder comprising a first chamber therein and a first piston movable in the first cylinder; (e) via a fine metering assembly, delivering at least one predetermined amount of the uncompressed mixture to the first chamber, wherein the uncompressed mixture is heated to said at least one preselected temperature; (f) with the first compression assembly, compressing said at least one predetermined amount of the uncompressed mixture to provide a preliminary element comprising a first compressed mixture having a preliminary density between approximately 0.4 g/cc and approximately 0.5 g/cc; (g) providing a second compression assembly comprising a second cylinder comprising a second chamber therein and a second piston movable in the second cylinder; (h) positioning the preliminary element in the second chamber; (i) compressing the preliminary element, in a substantially adiabatic process, in the second chamber to form the solid fuel element having the predetermined density, the predetermined density being greater than the preliminary density, wherein during the compression of the preliminary element in the second chamber, the preliminary element is heated to a predetermined temperature that is at least equal to the melting temperature of the binder component; and (j) removing the solid fuel element from the second chamber. (a) providing the woody biomass component, the woody biomass component comprising woody biomass particles having a predetermined woody biomass particle size distribution; (b) providing the binder component, the binder component comprising binder particles having a predetermined binder particle size distribution; (c) mixing the woody biomass component and the binder component together to form an uncompressed mixture, the uncompressed mixture comprising at least about 70% and at most about 80% by weight of the woody biomass component and at least about 20% and at most about 30% by weight of the binder component, wherein the uncompressed mixture is heated to a preselected temperature that is greater than a glass transition temperature of the binder component and less than a melting temperature of the binder component; (d) providing a first compression assembly comprising a first cylinder comprising a first chamber therein and a first piston movable in the first cylinder; (e) via a fine metering assembly, delivering at least one predetermined amount of the uncompressed mixture to the first chamber, wherein the uncompressed mixture is heated to said at least one preselected temperature; (f) with the first compression assembly, compressing said at least one predetermined amount of the uncompressed mixture to provide a preliminary element comprising a first compressed mixture having a preliminary density between approximately 0.4 g/cc and approximately 0.5 g/cc; (g) providing a second compression assembly comprising a second cylinder comprising a second chamber therein and a second piston movable in the second cylinder; (h) positioning the preliminary element in the second chamber; (i) compressing the preliminary element, in a substantially adiabatic process, in the second chamber to form the solid fuel element having the predetermined density, the predetermined density being greater than the preliminary density, wherein during the compression of the preliminary element in the second chamber, the preliminary element is heated to a predetermined temperature that is at least equal to the melting temperature of the binder component; and (j) removing the solid fuel element from the second chamber.