Abstract A desktop study has been performed to analyse the performance of biomass-to-fuel plants producing methanol, dimethylether (DME) or hydrogen. Two different designs have been made. One design based on the technology of today and one design based on the technology of tomorrow. Mass and energy balances are presented for both designs producing all three fuels. Biomass-to-fuel conversion efficiencies (LHV) of the plants range between 45 and 56% for hydrogen and DME production respectively in the present-day design and between 56 and 69% for hydrogen and methanol production respectively for the near-future design. Biomass-to-fuel conversion efficiency to DME is only marginally smaller than biomass-to-fuel conversion efficiency of methanol. Expression of efficiency of the biomass-to-fuel plant in biomass-to-fuel conversion efficiency does not include electrical power consumption and district heat generation. Exergy also includes the quality of the energy that is consumed or generated. Therefore exergetic efficiency should be used to express process efficiency. Methanol production using the technology of tomorrow is most efficient with exergetic efficiency of 55%. The least efficient is hydrogen production with exergetic efficiency of 40% and 45%, for present-day and near-future design, respectively. This is caused by the large purge stream in the plant design. The use of new technologies developed within the CHRISGAS project give an increase of 5–8% points in exergetic efficiency.