War in Ukraine, inflation: the price of wood pellets explodes in France

Photo of bags of wood pellets taken September 13, 2005, in Rosheim, eastern France.

AFP - FREDERICK FLORIN

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Whether to produce electricity or heat, communities, companies, but also French individuals are encouraged to use renewable energies and to make the necessary installations in buildings.

In the international context of rising energy prices and fears of shortages, chaotic situations are emerging.

This is currently the case in France with wood pellets which have become rare and whose prices have exploded.

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Demand is up to six times higher than last year, says the national association for wood pellet heating, Propellet.

The French invested in stoves and boilers last year.

Their sales jumped 43% and 120% respectively.

In addition, the rise in the prices of electricity, fuel and plastic have led to the doubling of the price of pallets of pellets... As winter approaches, a scarcity and a higher cost create discontent among the French who have turned to this heating system.

But the enthusiasm for these facilities does not fully explain the current scarcity phenomenon, says Propellet, who believes that the supply and demand figures are mismatched.

For the association, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the French have made too many stocks, creating tensions on the market - for fear of running out - the manager of the French electricity transmission network having recently indicated that it does not rule out possible power outages this winter. 

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