U.S. Wood Pellet Demand Thriving

Foreign demand for U.S. wood pellets continues to climb, with exports more than doubling between 2013 and 2018, growing from 2.99 million metric tons to 6.02 million, according to data from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

This demand has led to an explosion of wood pellet production facilities in the U.S. over the last decade, particularly in the Southeast.  With global demand for wood pellets projected to continue on this steep upward trajectory, manufacturers are reacting by expanding production capacity and investing in additional mills.

Currently most U.S. wood pellet exports are destined for Europe, primarily the UK, but there is growing demand from Asia for pellets, which is expected to grow exponentially over the next three years.

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