Portuguese Wood Pellets Market: Organization, Production and Consumption Analysis

Leonel J R Nunes,Marta Ferreira Dias,Margarida Casau

doi:10.3390/resources10120130

Leonel J R Nunes, Marta Ferreira Dias + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/resources10120130

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Abstract

Wood pellets are a form of energy that can be seen as an alternative to fossil fuels, thus contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In other words, wood pellets can be considered a solution contributing to the mitigation of climate change. The use of wood pellets has grown significantly in recent years, with different markets emerging, such as Portugal, both from production and consumption perspectives. The wood pellet industry in Portugal began its development about 15 years ago, with the companies installed in the country initially almost exclusively dedicated to the production of wood pellets for export to central and northern European markets. However, over the years, the domestic market, initially considered insignificant, began to develop; it recently reached a considerable consuming share of the national production. This study presents an analysis of the Portuguese wood pellet market using data collected on the sector, and specifically on producers and consumers. The information was gathered using surveys presented directly to consumers and producers and through interviews with other stakeholders in the sector. From the analysis of the information, it was possible to understand the market’s dynamics, its current evolution and its prospects for the upcoming years, since it can already be considered mature and consolidated.

Highlights

Published: 20 December 2021Renewable energies are currently playing a decisive role in fighting climate change, as their use replaces fossil fuels, and they have been presented as a high-potential alternative solution, when using residual raw materials, for example, from forest management operations or agriculture activity [1]
The results obtained in this study demonstrated an evolution of the Portuguese market, like what happened in similar markets
Portugal is a wood pellet producer that has grown in its production capacity and internal consumption, with the increment verified by domestic consumers, mainly in recent years

Summary

Introduction

Renewable energies are currently playing a decisive role in fighting climate change, as their use replaces fossil fuels, and they have been presented as a high-potential alternative solution, when using residual raw materials, for example, from forest management operations or agriculture activity [1]. In this way, the use of biomass to replace oil, coal or natural gas assumes a double advantage, since, besides the expected replacement of fossil fuels by carbon-neutral fuels, it contributes to waste recovery, enhancing circular economy processes [2].

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