How do they make cooking charcoal from wood on a large scale?

Question

Any campfire creates a little charcoal, and I understand the briquets you get at the supermarket are made from natural gas, but there are entire countries where charcoal made from wood is the usual cooking fuel.

Answer 1

Heating wood in the absence of oxygen. See the reference for examples. It removes most of the water, thus greatly reducing the weight, and making it less susceptible to insects, fungus, and rot.