Wood pellets for burning are a high-profile alternative energy source in New England, but a new report shows that it’s the Southeast that is turning them into a big export commodity.
A report by Wood Resources International released Tuesday said the U.S. surpassed Canada this year as the world’s leading exporter of wood pellets for fuel, largely because of exports to Europe, where biomass heat and power are a much larger part of the energy picture. Finland, for example, produces 20% of its total energy from wood, while Austria is not far behind.
“Three companies announced plans for constructing pellet plants in the state of Georgia in the third quarter of 2012. With six other pellet export plants already under construction and scheduled to begin operating in regions as widespread as Virginia to Texas, it is possible an additional 4.2 million tons of wood pellets will be crossing to Europe in 2015…compared to an estimated 1.5 million tons likely to be exported from this region in 2012, as reported by the North American Wood Fiber Review,” said the company.
The South is aided in its wood-pellet exports both by a long history of fast-growing softwoods for industry and less domestic consumption.
From The Telegraph: https://www.nashuatelegraph.com/business/978540-464/wood-pellets-becoming-a-major-us-export.html