Abstract: A system and method to permit fluidized combustion without requiring a separate fluidizing medium, such as sand. The system may include a combustion chamber, a fuel feed system coupled to the combustion chamber, an ignition system coupled to the combustion chamber, a fluidizing system coupled to the combustion chamber, where the fluidizing system includes a fuel and fluidizing medium formed from the same material, and a heat recovery system. The method may include delivering a pelletized fuel into a combustion chamber by a fuel feed system and onto a fluidizing plate, igniting the pelletized fuel with an igniter system coupled to the fluidizing plate, fluidizing the pelletized fuel after combustion is started in the absence of a fluidizing medium beyond the pelletized fuel, and heating a medium in a heat exchanger with combustion gases.