Is there a pellet shortage already!

TimfromMA said:

I just heard a news report that they expect the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline to drop below $3.00 per gallon soon.

Click to expand...

Driving a V 8 American gas guzzler.i like the sound if thatMy cowrker who drive a Prius hybrid asks me why I drive that beast.I tell him fell in love with her on the first drive and it's a beast in the winter ha ha .use my bike mostly in the summer so that helps lol

Ctcarl said:

Driving a V 8 American gas guzzler.i like the sound if thatMy cowrker who drive a Prius hybrid asks me why I drive that beast.I tell him fell in love with her on the first drive and it's a beast in the winter ha ha .use my bike mostly in the summer so that helps lol

Click to expand...

Best thing I ever saw was a prius getting pulled from a snow bank while i drove past in my buddy's Silverado after a big snow storm

I spoke with Rob, owner of "PA Pellet Guy", today. I had 5 tons scheduled for delivery this week (4 Energex, 1 NEWP) but Rob had not called to set specific day/time. He reports that Energex did not make a scheduled shipment this week, and that next week is looking iffy. He agrees that a shortage appears to be occurring, as he moves at least 1 trailer load per week even in slow months (and is obviously concerned). I knew my local Lowes had some Presto's left (HD has none, and had only chows earlier, which I don't like). I also knew that I could likely get Hamers, so agreed to cancel my order with Rob, as he is unsure of next shipment date and we are some distance away. I now have 3 tons of Presto's being delivered tomorrow to add to the 1 ton already in the shed. Two tons of Hamers arrive middle of the week. $239/ton plus $75 flat fee to deliver for Presto's and $300/ton for Hamers if picked up (will burn when the weather's coldest). I have to hand it to Rob for his honesty and forthrightness. He could have tried to get me to wait, but noted that if I could get those pellets now, I should grab them. Will certainly give him business in future based on that, probably with a spring or early summer buy this year. Bottom line: Probably not a bad year to stock up if you can get 'em.

Ctcarl said:

Driving a V 8 American gas guzzler.i like the sound if thatMy cowrker who drive a Prius hybrid asks me why I drive that beast.I tell him fell in love with her on the first drive and it's a beast in the winter ha ha .use my bike mostly in the summer so that helps lol

Click to expand...

I drive a Chevy Crews 2500HD 4x4. Thankfully a short drive to work. I haul full tons of pellets, Pull a camper & Landcape trailer. But in CT, drought 3.00 gas.

Pellet dealers like when I show up. YUp, ill take the whole ton NOW. Drop it right there. I even take the tailgate off for em.

Capital district ny has pellets available everywhere. Some higher end dealers are sold our of super premium but no one will be going without heat around here. Also I firmly believe that this year will be no where near as challenging as last year, just more people are buying their stash all at once bc of last year instead of a ton at a time. Stores will be swimming in mid grade pellets by end of Oct and priced will be low. Jmho.

This post is out of hand. everybody just breath! its like the first snowstorm of the year and there is no milk or bread. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON............

Fish On said:

This post is out of hand. everybody just breath! its like the first snowstorm of the year and there is no milk or bread. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON............

Click to expand...

It's only out of hand for people with their stash..
There are plenty of people out there in a panic, because they just flat can't find any.
We've had two places locally drop out of the equation recently.
Those customers are trying to find product that isn't even available
to regular customers of other dealers..
We had over 300 tons on the ground last month.
Now we are out. And this is the busiest time.

Yes... there is a lot of talk about it.
But to many, those that don't have any, it's a lot more of an issue than to others..

Besides... this is a pellet forum.. that's what people talk about...

Dan

I just talked to 2 local hardware stores. One is getting an order of lignetic in this week. The other store normally has new england wood pellets but apparently they're not able to get them this year so they're getting another brand which they'll have at some point over the next couple weeks. We'll see how that goes

Luvmesomesamples said:

Capital district ny has pellets available everywhere. Some higher end dealers are sold our of super premium but no one will be going without heat around here. Also I firmly believe that this year will be no where near as challenging as last year, just more people are buying their stash all at once bc of last year instead of a ton at a time. Stores will be swimming in mid grade pellets by end of Oct and priced will be low. Jmho.

Click to expand...

I certainly hope so and believe this to be true. My install date is Nov 1 so that will work out perfectly.

BrotherBart said:

Gonna be one of those years when they are up to their butts in the things and lower prices in January.

Click to expand...

So true.

BrotherBart said:

Gonna be one of those years when they are up to their butts in the things and lower prices in January.

Click to expand...

Peterfield said:

So true.

Click to expand...

I hope you're right.
But I'm holding my chips on that bet for now...

Dan

Probably all depends on the winter weather. Im sure the current shortage is because people are buying early and buying more then they probably need, but if we have another winter like last year I could seethe current shortage getting worse

Stopped at our local Walmart today found they were selling natures heat for $261 a ton are these any good

xSpecBx said:

... Im sure the current shortage is because people are buying early and buying more...

Click to expand...

Now is NOT early... May/June was early. When dealers could get them.
At least in this area..

Fish On said:

This post is out of hand. everybody just breath! its like the first snowstorm of the year and there is no milk or bread. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON............

Click to expand...

Golden retrievers are known to lower blood pressure better than pharmaceuticals. Nice avatar Fish On.

Pete Zahria said:

I hope you're right.
But I'm holding my chips on that bet for now...

Dan

Click to expand...

Wise

There must be a pellet shortage in southern New England, but here in central/northern Maine there is pellets everywhere. Both HD and Lowe's in Bangor had over 100 ton each outside. Tractor Supply in Millinocket had 58 ton on hand. My distributer has 250 ton Energex in his warehouse, his supplier Dysart' in Bangor has over 800 in Stock. 3 local stove shops and hardware stores in 20 mile radius is loaded.
A month ago I bought 4 ton of Energex for $239/ton plus $35 delivery since I'm 3 miles from my distributer and he put 2 in my garage with his skid steer and keeping 2 ton in his warehouse until I call for them.

Big papa said:

Stopped at our local Walmart today found they were selling natures heat for $261 a ton are these any good

Click to expand...

I have bought them twice, sample bags, two different years and they were terrible. Will be using them to soak up spills in garage. Pennington is a bird seed rebagger. Smell like recycled cardboard.

Thanks for the info lol Will stay away from them

Bioburner said:

I have bought them twice, sample bags, two different years and they were terrible. Will be using them to soak up spills in garage. Pennington is a bird seed rebagger. Smell like recycled cardboard.

Click to expand...

X 2 on the Pennington's poor quality. Someone locally donated half a ton to our local animal shelter for them to use as cat and hamster litter, and they didn't look or smell appreciably different going into the cages than they did coming out - perhaps I'm being too judgmental though.... In their defense, they weren't as bad as the 'dirt in a bag' 1st generation MWP hardwood / softwood blend pellets I tried to burn my first year of pellet stove use.

That was right after Hurricane Katrina at the beginning of the surge in pellet stove popularity and consequent pellet shortages, and rumors were they were chipping all the sewage contaminated houses and using it as pellet fuel wood source - nasty. I think I burned every crappy pellet brand that they made that year. Live and learn.......

DMKNLD said:

X 2 on the Pennington's poor quality. Someone locally donated half a ton to our local animal shelter for them to use as cat and hamster litter, and they didn't look or smell appreciably different going into the cages than they did coming out - perhaps I'm being too judgmental though.... In their defense, they weren't as bad as the 'dirt in a bag' 1st generation MWP hardwood / softwood blend pellets I tried to burn my first year of pellet stove use.

That was right after Hurricane Katrina at the beginning of the surge in pellet stove popularity and consequent pellet shortages, and rumors were they were chipping all the sewage contaminated houses and using it as pellet fuel wood source - nasty. I think I burned every crappy pellet brand that they made that year. Live and learn.......

Click to expand...

Eeeeew no wonder you guys don't like them you said they were crap but I didn't realize you ment it literally

sperley03 said:

There must be a pellet shortage in southern New England, but here in central/northern Maine there is pellets everywhere..

Click to expand...

Consider yourself lucky to be in an area such as yours....
There aren't many around our area at all... like close to none.
Mind you I'm not talking about some of the stuff that the majority of
people here consider crap.. But better to very good stuff.

Pete Zahria said:

Consider yourself lucky to be in an area such as yours....
There aren't many around our area at all... like close to none.
Mind you I'm not talking about some of the stuff that the majority of
people here consider crap.. But better to very good stuff.

Click to expand...

How is your stash for the winter do you have enough to get through or are you searching for pellets

BrotherBart said:

Pellets are going mainstream in other countries and making it a whole new ballgame.

"RALEIGH — Maryland-based Enviva LP will qualify for up to $1.7 million in state tax incentives for the 160 jobs to be created at two new wood pellet mills in Richmond and Sampson counties, Gov. Pat McCrory announced Tuesday.

Enviva is investing $214 million in the two mills to make wood pellets that will be shipped to customers in Europe from the state port at Wilmington. The company is expected this fall to start construction on a $35 million export facility at the port to handle 1 million tons of pellets per year."

Click to expand...

Lets read that number again slowly: export facility at the port to handle 1 million tons of pellets per year.

The EU is on a tightrope this winter with their Russian energy supplies at risk. The EU has even made commitments to Ukraine to back-feed them NG if Russia doesn't re-establish flows. Germany said they have 60+ days of NG reserve stock. You know the EU backroom fingers were pointing at Obama saying: "The US better be willing to step up with a Liberty Flotilla if these damn sanctions affect the winter fuel supplies". That's why Putin's smiling,... it's gas.

What do we see:
Done: Two NG pipelines got fast-track approvals for the two brand new LNG super port facilities. Good for employment, bad for my NG bills.
Underway: A record export of Pellet tonnage is already expected for this winter (more new facilities like above in plans). Wave to your pellets.
Future: Heck, they may even fast-track the Keystone approvals. (never let a crisis go to waste)

That's when we can talk about shortages. What we're seeing now is just poor logistics.