Denmark's wood pellet imports expected to rise to 3.1 million tonnes in 2020, up from 2 million tonnes in 2012; domestic wood pellet production has averaged between 130,000-200,000 tonnes/year since 2000, finds report

Allison Oesterle

LOS ANGELES , November 12, 2013 (Industry Intelligence) – Denmark’s wood pellet imports are expected to rise to 3.1 million tonnes in 2020, up from 2 million tonnes in 2012, according to a report filed by the Dutch government with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN), Biomass Magazine reported on Nov. 11.

The report found that Denmark is the largest global wood pellet importer. Over the last few years, wood pellet imports have grown significantly, driven by rising use of combined heat-and-power plants (CHP) and the limited supply of domestic feedstock.

Wood pellet imports rose 10% year-over-year during the first seven months of 2013, the Dutch government noted.

Domestic wood pellet production has averaged between 130,000-200,000 tonnes per year since 2000, with a majority of the residue feedstock being sourced from the country’s wood processing and furniture industries, according to the GAIN report.

Wood pellet use in Denmark is split between fuel residential boilers, district heating plants and CHP plants. The CHP plants have been the primary driver of rising wood pellet use since 2010.

Of the 3.17 million tonnes of wood pellets Denmark is expected to consume by 2020, the private sector will account for 2.57 million tonnes while residential consumers will account for 600,000 tonnes of pellets. Domestic wood pellet production is projected to remain constant at 150,000 tonnes, with Denmark expected to export about 80,000 tonnes of wood pellets.

The primary source of this article is Biomass Magazine, Grand Forks, North Dakota, on Nov. 11, 2013.

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