Madhumitha Jaganmohan
Research expert covering climate and environmental sustainability
Get in touch with us nowProduction and trade of wood pellets
Globally, China is the greatest producer of wood pellets. However, as most of it is consumed inland, it is not among the leading wood pellet exporting countries. Instead, the United States ranks first, having sold some 7.5 million metric tons abroad in 2021. Counting Russia, eight of the entries listed were European countries. Apart from South Korea and Japan, European countries are also the greatest importers of wood pellets. Made from sawdust shavings and other lumber product residue with low moisture content, wood pellets have a higher combustion efficiency than most other biofuels.Use of waste for energy production
In addition to the above-mentioned types of solid fuels, municipal and industrial waste are a significant contributor to bioenergy worldwide. The utilization of waste for energy production has grown in importance as cities and other urban districts grapple with rising waste volumes. By 2027, the global waste-to-energy market value is projected to have reached over 50 billion U.S. dollars.Bioenergy worldwide
As of 2021, global bioenergy capacity amounted to 143,371 megawatts, with an annual growth rate of around one percent during the ten years prior. As governments and industries scramble to find green alternatives to carbon intensive sources such as petroleum and coal, the share of bioenergy in total primary energy supply is expected to climb to ten percent by 2050. However, investments in bioenergy technology have slowed in recent years, reaching 11.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.
