Rising electricity costs have also caused the price of pellet heating to skyrocket. And that’s not all – because of the war in Ukraine, there are far too few “replenishments” in all of Europe.
“I have been ordering wood pellets from my supplier for the winter for ten years. He informed me succinctly that he would no longer supply pellets this year. I therefore contacted several well-known pellet suppliers in Upper Austria and heard everywhere that new customers were not being taken on,” says the irritated “Krone” reader Karl Heinz Vitale from Gramastetten, who wanted to fill his warehouse with six tons.
Three million tons missing from Russia
The “Krone” asked and indeed: Across Europe there is a shortage of wood pellets to contend with. “We are also indirectly affected by the effects of the war,” said Christian Rakos, general manager of proPellets. For Rakos, three points are mainly responsible for the current tense situation: “The price of electricity has risen enormously. Many power plants now use wood pellets and normal customers miss these amounts. Three million tonnes from Russia and Belarus are missing for the European market. In addition, the demand for wood pellets has generally increased.”
Optimism towards autumn
However, according to the expert, the situation should improve: “In the autumn and winter, the situation will ease.” You must now take what you can get – even if only a small amount – and, if necessary, a second time. “There are a lot of factories under construction right now. An extra 300,000 tons will provide relaxation next year. There will never be such a phase again,” Rakos is optimistic.
However, another problem is the simultaneous explosion in the price of a ton of pellets – see the chart above. Everything you need for production – sawdust, electricity, spare parts – has become more expensive. The customer feels that too.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
