This paper presents a new design and the fabrication of biomass carbonization system using microwave heating. The heating system employs multi-feed microwave generators with 8.5 kW maximum power and 2.458 GHz frequency for uniform heating distribution in a 0.847 m(3) cylindrical low cement castable reactor. The experiment entails the carbonization of 58,800 kg of coconut shell for 7 days. Afterward, the charcoal and wood vinegar yields are analyzed; meanwhile, uncondensed gases are treated to fuel the engine-generator system. The results show that the proposed approach greatly saves the production time of charcoal yields and allows ease of temperature control. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.