I’m a relatively infrequent visitor to this forum, so I’m sorry if this has already been a topic of conversation and I’ve missed it. Also, this is meant to be a general question, but may well turn into a rant, so apologies in advance if that’s the case.
We changed our heating system from oil to wood pellets last year. As well as the old system being on its last legs we did this because the pellet boiler is (possibly only marginally) environmentally sounder, generous grants were available, and most importantly because the pellets are produced in France or Belgium and are less liable to be prone to price changes caused by political factors it was the most economical to run and to forecast future costs.
In October last year the price of pellets shot up – more than doubled in fact. Although we haven’t had to buy any so far this winter, friends who have told us that they bought some in November at more than 600 euros per 1000 kilos. Going by the price of small 15 kilo bags in shops, what used to be sold at 4 – 5 euros a bag is currently 9.50 (the very cheapest locally) to 11 euros.
At first this was understandable. The sudden increases in electricity and gas prices caused by the war in Ukraine panicked people who’ve got pellet fuelled stoves or room heaters to stock up and use them as a primary source of heating. This caused a shortage in the shops, and rationing in many cases. However, pellet producers went to great lengths to explain that there was no threat to production, there was more than enough to go round and that this was a temporary situation.
Of course, it wasn’t. Panic over, and three months later, the price is still the same. Is this because the producers have taken the opportunity to keep the high prices, seeing a rare chance to get away with it while people’s attention is distracted? Is it because the French government have recently announced financial help towards the cost and this has artificially inflated the price. Have the overheads, in particular the production cost of the pellets, meant that producers can no longer make them at a reasonable price (one local manufacturer has gone bankrupt recently claiming this as the reason).
I’m genuinely interested in hearing people’s opinions and experiences.
Well I’ve heard of thread drift…
Or perhaps it isn’t, so pardon my ignorance, care to enlighten me @Corona ?
@timmartin I am sorry that I can’t help you, being definitely ignorant of the steep rise in prices, but it seems you might be right.
BTW, when changing our heating system we discarded pellets because modern ones required electricity so no back up in the case of failure. We kept the old wood fire as that backup when turning completely to air to air.
The price has certainly rocketed around here. We have no central heating at all and looked at pellet boilers but rejected them because they use a processed product and didn’t seem all that envirnmental compared with our old faithful wood burner. We’re now glad we did, although that doesn’t help you at all, sorry, @timmartin
I must admit I am struggling to see a valid reason for the elevated prices - given that the suppliers say there’s no shortages, what reason are they giving?
It’s difficult to be sure what’s best. Last year we were seeing the suggestion that pellets would start to be available in June 2023, but in finest capitalist fashion the market has found its own level.
We are planning to have one pellet and one log stove fitted later this year, the log burner as insurance against power cuts and a repeat of the crazy prices, though I’m wondering if log burners in both rooms might be better. The idea of a stove that has thermostatic control and can be loaded once per day really appeals.
Our Invicta Remilly woodburner cost just over 300 euros and warms our whole house (65 sq m) if we leave the internal doors open. It does occasionally stay in all night but even if it doesn’t the house is still warmer than ours was in the 1970s. We do have pvc double glazing.
Captive audience, build up your client base convincing them that your product will save you money, save the planet bla bla bla and then turn the screw to up the product price, its so easy.
Buying an electric vehicle is no different, save money, save the planet, really?
Enjoy your EV while you can, rest assured the price hike of electric fuel is coming to that captive audience too.
Tim, we’re in a similar-ish position, having replaced our fioul burner stove for a wood pellet stove last year, and were quite shocked to find a near simultaneous shortage of pellets. Fast forward 8 months and the same retail suppliers round here,(Seine Maritime) who then had next to none, are now flush with pellets. So no shortage here, but of course, the prices are alarming. We bought 2 tons (130 sacks) in the summer, online and locally as we just don’t know, being our first year of usage, how much we get through. Average price 7.5€ per bag back in the summer.
Utterly bizarrely, I was recently sent a screenshot from an unnamed UK newspaper suggesting that in desperation at not being able to find pellets, some people are buying and burning cat litter, some brands of which physically ressemble pellets! I don’t think it was a spoof article.
For the record in winter 2021/22 we used 98 x 15kg bags, with an average price of 4,11€ per bag.
Thus far in winter 2022/23 we have used nearly 30, with an average cost of 9,96€ per bag.
Entirely plausible. I’ve seen wood pellet cat litter in our local Leclerc Jardi, for an astronomical price. That prompted me to try our fuel pellets as cat litter - it’s great!
I did a back of the fag packet calculation of pellets versus oil a couple of weeks ago Joule for joule, oil is more economical than wood (based on current prices and ignoring the fossil fuel argument)
I have a pepper and mushroom stir fry recipe which specifies a British egg in the ingredients. Oddly enough it works great with an egg from Intermarché.
