Wood Pellets Market Soaring: Renewable Energy Fuels Growth

The global wood pellets market is experiencing a significant upswing driven by the increasing demand for renewable energy sources and the decline in reliance on fossil fuels. This market is projected to reach USD 5.89 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 8.09%. This growth is fueled by the shift towards cleaner energy sources in the power industry, particularly in countries like China and India, where coal power plants are being replaced with renewable alternatives. Wood pellets, a carbon-neutral energy source, are emerging as a viable replacement for coal in power generation and heating applications.

B.C. Forests Being Harvested for Wood Pellets, Raising Environmental Concerns

A report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) alleges that an increasing portion of British Columbia’s forests is being harvested to produce wood pellets for export to Japan, where they are burned as fuel. The report claims that pellet producers are turning to raw logs instead of scrap wood, raising concerns about the use of primary forest trees for overseas powerplant fuel. Conservationists and the report’s analyst, Ben Parfitt, believe there is not enough scrap wood to meet the demand for wood pellets, and that using valuable primary forest wood for this purpose is unacceptable. The B.C. government and the company operating most of the province’s pellet mills deny the allegations, maintaining that pellets are primarily made from scrap wood.

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