UK suspends quality requirement for pellet fuel for heating

[whit]

One thing preventing the US pellet mills from exporting pellet fuel for heating to the UK and Europe, given the interruption of supply from Russia, is the requirement that pellets carry ENplus certification -- which is a different grading system than used here in the US. The UK just announced suspension of that requirement. This can facilitate export of heating pellets from the US to the UK this winter. WIll this mean shortages and higher prices for us here?

Renewable Heat Incentive: Temporary changes to wood pellets quality requirement

Invitation to provide views on the temporary suspension of fuel quality requirements for wood pellets.

www.gov.uk

 

[gutlo]

One thing preventing the US pellet mills from exporting pellet fuel for heating to the UK and Europe, given the interruption of supply from Russia, is the requirement that pellets carry ENplus certification -- which is a different grading system than used here in the US. The UK just announced suspension of that requirement. This can facilitate export of heating pellets from the US to the UK this winter. WIll this mean shortages and higher prices for us here?

Renewable Heat Incentive: Temporary changes to wood pellets quality requirement

Invitation to provide views on the temporary suspension of fuel quality requirements for wood pellets.

www.gov.uk

That depends on many factors. Shipping costs being the biggest one. Where will they be bagged? Are there even any container ships available? How many US based mills are close to a port city? How popular are pellet stoves in Europe?

 

[whit]

That depends on many factors. Shipping costs being the biggest one. Where will they be bagged? Are there even any container ships available? How many US based mills are close to a port city? How popular are pellet stoves in Europe?

The number of pellet stoves and boilers operating in the EU increases by 10% per year

Seven million independent homes in the European Union were heated thanks to an individual pellet stove or boiler during 2019. In that year, more than 750.000 pieces of equipment were sold and the expectation is that the European biomass technical heating park will continue to increase at a rate...

www.expobiomasa.com

 

[3650]

Currency exchange rates usually play a role as well. I don’t know what the sterling rate is but at one time it was much higher then the dollar.

All energy sources are going through the roof. I usually heat with anthracite coal. Pre pandemic it was about $250 a ton. During the pandemic it went up to $375 a ton. Now it’s $525 a ton. That’s why you see me on the pellet forum now 😆

Pellets just went up $75 a ton here in a week though 😞 I may be migrating to the wood forum. 😐