Italian wood pellet market

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network has published a report on the Italian wood pellet market, noting the country consumed 3.1 million metric tons of pellets last year, with domestic consumption accounting for 96 percent of total use. Consumption of wood pellets in Italy is expected to increase to 5 million metric tons by 2020.

The report indicates only 15 percent of domestic demand for pellets in Italy is met by domestic production. The remaining 85 percent of demand is met by imports.

In Italy, pellets are primarily used in small-scale residential and industrial boilers for heat production. Bagged pellets represent almost all consumption, with no more than 20,000 metric tons delivered in bulk by silo trucks. In addition, most bagged pellets are sold through retail shops and fossil fuel retailers, with only 6 percent purchased online.

Austria, Croatia, Germany, Solvenia, France, and Bosnia & Herzegovina are the primary importers of wood pellets to Italy. The U.S. ranked 13th in pellet sales to Italy last year, with 48,322 metric tons at a value of $9.58 million. Canada was the eighth largest exporter to Italy, delivering 85,349 metric tons of wood pellets to the country at a value of $14.51 million.

A full copy of the report can be downloaded from the USDA FAS GAIN website.