Humans have a long history of turning biomass – renewable organic material from plants and animals – into energy, mainly by burning wood. But as pressure mounts on global energy providers to slash dependence on fossil fuels and increase energy output from renewable sources, companies that can convert organic matter into energy look set to have a bright future. Asia …

The international trade of wood pellets has increased yearly for over ten years thanks to growing demand in Europe and Asia. Although shipments in the first half of 2022 were practically unchanged from the same period in 2021, an anticipated increase in demand in Europe in the second half of the year is likely to make 2022 another record year …

As much as 70 percent of European heating comes from natural gas and electricity, and with Russian deliveries drastically reduced, wood — already used by some 40 million people for heating — has become a sought-after commodity. Prices for wood pellets nearly doubled to 600 euros a ton in France, and there are signs of panic buying. Hungary has banned …

Drax Group (Drax) would be prepared to do a carbon analysis of wood imports for its biomass facilities amid claims from the BBC it is hacking down carbon rich forests in Canada. The power firm’s director of sustainability, Dr Alan Knight told the Environmental Audit Committee recently that the company “completely agreed” with the idea. He was “more than comfortable” …

FutureMetrics has published a new white paper explaining how reduced pellet supplies in Western Europe and the U.K. resulting from sanctions on Russia has produced a supply shock that has vastly increased prices. In the paper, FutureMetrics President William Strauss explains that supply shock occurs when a significant portion of a good or service is no longer available in the …