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Wood pellets (for fuel) Click
here
for charts illustrating each EU member state's monthly imports and
exports of wood pellets (including December
2021).
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![]() EU-27 and UK - pellet imports Source: based on Eurostat and Drax plc publications. Assumes 7.1 million tonnes burned by Drax during 2020. One power station, Drax, accounted for almost all the growth in EU imports during recent years. That growth has halted since 1) Drax's fourth and final unit was converted to burn biomass and 2) the UK government made the burning of wood pellets for power ineligible for subsidy. The subsequent increase is attributable mainly to Lynemouth power station. ![]() EU-27 and UK - pellet production Source: based on FAOSTAT Taken together, the two charts above tend to confirm that excluding Drax and Lynemounth, a large majority (roughly 80%) of pellets burned in the EU are produced in the EU. This suggests that investment in the supply of pellets for import into the EU may be ill-advised, especially if based on assertions by the industry that the EU market is booming. ![]() EU-27 - pellet consumption Source: based on FAOSTAT and Eurostat Strong increase in use of pellets within most EU member states - primarily for heat. ![]() EU-27 imports of pellets (and other products) from Russia (to 31 12 2021) Source: Eurostat (code 44013100 and 44013020) ![]() EU-27 imports of pellets (and other products) from Belarus (to 31 12 2021) Source: Eurostat (code 44013100 and 44013020) |
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Only one major destination in EU UK/Drax; exports Netherlands are rising but are flat to the only other minor destinations - Belgium and Denmark); Drax' fourth & final unit started operating in 2018; Lynnemouth operating since 2019 (like Drax, power only & <40% efficient).
![]() Drax's share of UK imports Source: based on Eurostat Drax Annual Report 2015 Drax biomass supply report UNECE
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Trade in pellets from the Baltic States to the UK
Suggested
reading:
"Forest
Bionergy for Europe - What science can tell us" EFI (2014)
"Review
of literature on biogenic carbon and life cycle assessment of forest
bioenergy" Forest research (05 2014)
"Carbon
Emissions and Climate Change Disclosure by the Wood Pellet Industry –
A Report to the SEC on Enviva Partners LP" Partnership for Policy
Integrity and Dogwood Alliance (03 2016)
"Woody
Biomass for Power and Heat: Impacts on the Global Climate" D Brack
for Chatham House (02 2017) |
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globaltimber.org.uk
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