We join the voice of proPellet.ch in recommending that you plan and arrange your pellet supply with us now!
This recommendation stems from the fact that pellets are becoming increasingly popular as a renewable fuel. Demand has grown strongly throughout Europe and in Switzerland as well! Indeed, 2021 has been marked by a very high growth in pellet consumption and consequently also in pellet production. Sales in 2021 amounted to 420,000 tons, this corresponds to a 22% increase over the previous year. Production also grew by about 20 percent to 325,000 tons. Imports remained at a similar level to 2020. This increase was caused by the long 2020/21 winter season and the many new pellet plants installed. According to statements by the association of Swiss wood heating system suppliers, Holzfeuerungen Schweiz, there was a 45 percent growth in 2021.
This year, too, it is expected that many Swiss people will opt for environmentally friendly pellet heating; therefore, demand will not drop. Already, the pellet industry is actively preparing for the 2022/2023 cold season. If the coming winter is similar to that of 2020/2021, proPellets.ch predicts a need for between 450,000 and 500,000 tons of pellets.
To prepare this quantity, wood pellet producers will have to work at full capacity throughout the summer. We retailers will also have to purchase 20-30% more pellets. This stock must be stored, which is why manufacturers and retailers urge all owners of pellet heating systems to stock up now. This in fact facilitates the work of us retailers, helping us to keep storage costs low, costs that would inevitably be reflected in the price to the consumer.
"We are already urging customers to fill their pellet stores as soon as possible," says Sabine L'Eplattenier-Burri, director of proPellets.ch. "By doing so, they will help the pellet industry adjust production and imports to demand and fulfill deliveries as efficiently as possible." Possible delivery difficulties can then be avoided.
Over a longer time horizon, new production and depot locations will ensure, together with additional delivery vehicles, increased capacity and allow for an adequate response to the demand for pellets in Switzerland. Until then, filling smaller pellet depots during the warm season will help reduce bottlenecks. Indeed, in the winter, when large plants need to be refilled every two weeks, transporters are very busy and delivery vehicles run on a continuous cycle.
For this reason, the watchword ahead of the coming cold weather is: order now, during the warm season.