The price of wood pellets is soaring in France due to a growing shortage of the fuel as people prepare early for winter and more households entering the wood pellet market.<\/p>\n
People who rely on the fuel may be facing an expensive winter if the trend continues, with stocks currently seeing \u201ca risk of tension\u201d.<\/p>\n
Propellet, the national wood pellet professionals group l'Association nationale des professionnels du chauffage aux granul\u00e9s de bois, told La D\u00e9p\u00eache that although \u201cwe are not yet in a total shortage situation, we are seeing a situation at risk of tension\u201d.<\/p>\n
Why is there \u2018tension\u2019 in stock levels?<\/strong><\/p>\n Demand rose earlier than usual this year, ahead of the start of the 2022 production. This is because people are preparing for winter very early, partly due to fear over rising energy costs.<\/p>\n Propellet said: \"People are preparing for winter crazily in advance compared to previous years. There is always a delay in the time it takes for the sector to find its feet and increase its production capacity. Supply is limited compared to demand.\u201d<\/p>\n Another factor is that more people are entering the pellet market every year.<\/p>\n The French heating federation, la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Fran\u00e7aise des Combustibles, Carburants & Chauffage (FFCCC), said: \"Subsidised installations of stoves and boilers are growing faster than the national capacity to produce the necessary fuels.\u201d<\/p>\n Some shops have been forced to limit sales as a result and others have almost run out completely.<\/p>\n A manager of a shop in Fleurance, Gers, told La D\u00e9p\u00eache: \"We have no visibility on the volume, the date of arrival, or the prices. There is high demand at the moment. If this delivery does not arrive, it will be a loss for the shop.\u201d<\/p>\n The FFCCC has said that \u201cthe situation should smooth out over the coming months\u201d, but that the lack of supply could be as much as 5-15% depending on the weather.<\/p>\n It said: \u201cThis range is linked to the weather. Everything depends on whether the winter is very cold or mild. The only solution [in the event of a very cold winter] would be to resort to importing. But it could be affected anyway, because many other countries are experiencing a similar shortage.\u201d<\/p>\n The sector is growing and developing, however, Propellet said. Production is expected to increase by one million tonnes by 2024, and double by 2028.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The price of wood pellets is soaring in France due to a growing shortage of the fuel as people prepare early for winter and more households entering the wood pellet market. People who rely on the fuel may be facing … Continue reading