Rebound in wood pellet heating despite the instability of state support policies

The use of pellet heating was also confirmed in 2023 in the collective, with the stock growing by 18% per year over the last three years, adds the report from the Propellet association.

The sector is recovering from a difficult 2022-23 period linked in particular to “a feeling of shortage” and an increase in pellet prices. However, "there was no shortage of pellets", underlines Eric Vial, general delegate of Propellet, who admits that "the sector was unable to manage" this boom in demand, "we are also responsible".

The sector has also suffered from a decline in state aid in favor of electrical solutions, in particular heat pumps.

“Let people stop questioning us!”, annoys Mr. Vial, who wants to “restore the truth about the granules”.

Today, pellets have returned to "a normal price situation", and they still remain "more economical" than electricity, fuel oil or propane gas, according to sector calculations.

In 2023, the French sector generated a record production of 2,25 million tonnes of pellets, with the opening of three new factories, as in 2022.

These pellets come 95% from the sawdust industry (sawdust and offcuts, timber generating on average an equal volume of "waste") and 5% from logs from sanitary felling and thinning, explains the area.

There is "no resource problem", insists Mr. Vial, referring to the forecasts of strong growth in wooden construction, in accordance with the objectives of the RE2020 building regulations, as well as a source of by-products for pellets. .

Pellet is “a renewable, storable energy, with repairable equipment, and also an energy for the reindustrialization of France”, he lists.

Overall, the firewood sector (pellets, but also logs, etc.) aims to go from 8 million households equipped today to 12 million in 2030. It is particularly targeting 3,2 million stoves and 400.000 pellet boilers. .

But “we need the support of the State”, insists Eric Vial. Beyond aid (down 30% this year), the sector is calling for "effective communication on the advantages of the energy mix" and for France's future five-year energy roadmap, expected soon, to "include clear objectives for the sector.