The kinetics of thermal decomposition of rice straw was studied by thermogravimetry. Non-isothermal thermogravimetric data of rice straw decomposition in nitrogen atmosphere at six different heating rates of 5-40 degrees C/min was used for evaluating kinetics using several model free kinetic methods. The results showed that the decomposition process exhibited two zones of constant apparent activation energies. The values ranged from 142 to 170 kJ/mol (E-avg = 155.787 kJ/mol), and 170 to 270 kJ/mol (E-avg = 236.743 kJ/mol) in the conversion range of 5-60% and 61-90% respectively. These values were used to determine the reaction mechanism of process using master plots and compensation parameters. The results show that the reaction mechanism of whole process can be kinetically characterized by two successive reactions, a diffusion reaction followed by a third order rate equation. The kinetic results were validated using isothermal predictions. The results derived are useful for development and optimization of biomass thermochemical conversion systems. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.