The continuous increase in energy demand and the growing attention on global warming worldwide have aroused great research interest in a novel near zero emission energy utilization system which is based on CaO sorption enhanced gasification. This paper presents the experimental results of pressurized CaO sorption enhanced sawdust gasification in a self-design pressurized fluidized bed gasifier, aiming to survey the effects of reaction pressure, CaO to carbon mole ratio (CaO/C), steam to carbon mole ratio (H2O/C) and reaction temperature (T) on hydrogen (H-2) production under pressurized gasification conditions. Results showed that the pressurized operation not only promoted gasification reactions, but also apparently enhanced CaO carbonation. Within the experimental ranges investigated in this work, H-2 fraction and H-2 yield were both elevated with the increase in reaction pressure, CaO/C, H2O/C and T. Comparing with previous atmospheric fluidized bed gasification results, pressurized gasification was capable of producing syngas with higher H-2 fraction and lower CO2 fraction even at lower CaO/C, H2O/C and T. It was also verified that pressurized operation increased the carbon conversion and cold gas efficiency for CaO sorption enhanced sawdust gasification. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.