Orscheln Wood Pellets (2024)

FAQs

Why is there a shortage of wood pellets? ›

Local sources of raw material for pellets are under pressure, however. High diesel prices led many loggers to cut back on operations this summer, reducing the supply of wood from forests, while the rise in interest rates is affecting home building, the source of a lot of wood residue for pellet mills.

Hardwood in its raw form burns longer, as it has a higher density. Softwood, on the other hand, typically has higher BTU's due to the lignin concentration in the wood, so it burns hotter for a shorter period of time.

In addition to this; around 85% of the wood stock used to manufacture wood pellets comes from the untreated residual waste from the wood processing industry. With less demand during COVID, this has led to less wood production and thus, less residual waste for pellets to be made from.

Pellet stove users tend to use bagged pellets, but both options can work great. Bulk pellets are less expensive by the ton, but require some sort of storage bin (see more in Storage).

SUNFLOWER PELLET is a very good alternative to eco-pea coal and wood pellets. They have a much higher calorific value than wood and agro pellets.

Pellets are slightly higher in price per year, though they burn longer than wood. In either case, according to the Department of Energy, you should expect to pay about $190 for a cord of wood or ton of pellets (at 6.5 cords or 7.5 tons of pellets per season, factoring in that a ton equals 1.5 cords).

Hardwood pellets produce up to three times more ash than softwood pellets. When pellets produce less ash, there is less cleanup for you to do, more combustible fuel to burn and greater airflow for the fire and the stove fills.

The pellets which typically have the highest BTU ratings are softwood pellets and, in particular, Douglas Fir wood pellets. In terms of BTU rating, one of the highest-rated wood pellet brands is Cleanfire Ultra Doug Fir Pellets.

Burning one ton of wood pellets is equivalent to about 1.5 cords of wood. Wood pellets can be stored in a fraction of the space as a cord of wood. A 1 ton pallet of 40lb bags takes up 1/3 the space as one cord of wood. Your wood pellet storage space should be in a dry location, preferably indoors.

Do different wood pellets really make a difference? ›

High-quality wood pellets also keep your grill performing at its best and most effective. Cheaper, low-quality pellets are generally lower in density and contain higher moisture content. You'll burn through more pellets, and there's a greater chance your pellet grill could experience problems.

Most homeowners who use a pellet appliance as a main source of heat use two to three tons of pellet fuel per year. Pellet fuel appliances are almost always less expensive to operate than electric resistance heating, oil, and propane-fueled appliances. Most pellet fuels have a moisture content of 5% to 10%.

A slowdown in sawmilling in Europe, the Baltics and the US - linked to inflationary pressures on other industries - could reduce sawdust availability for pellet producers.

There are 50 40-pound bags in one ton, and we recommend 2 tons to 5 tons to last you the entire heating season. This equals 100 to 250 bags. That number can change depending on some factors. Larger homes require more pellets, and perhaps even a second pellet stove, to heat adequately.

The global wood pellets market size was estimated at USD 8.91 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2024 to 2030. The demand for wood pellets is expected to witness significant growth as they can replace fossil fuels due to their eco-friendly, sustainable, and carbon-neutral attributes.

Pellets are usually made from wood- processing byproducts (e.g. sawdust), so a valuable product is made from a potential waste material. More recently, low-quality trees from forest thinning and salvage operations are also being used.

Wood pellet consumption

England is the largest wood pellet consumer, owing to the government supply to biomass power plant. In Germany and Italy, wood pellets are mainly for heat supply, because the government lay high tax on gas, oil, and coal.

Energy Pellets of America responsibly makes wood pellets from 100 percent recycled wood chips. Material for the pellets is sourced from discarded wooden shipping pallets. From there, the wood is processed into small particles, turned into sawdust, and exposed to heat and high pressure to make the wood pellet fuel.