The wood pellet industry is relatively new to the South, but it's been around for decades in New England where the little round wood pellets are burned in home heaters. We have seen a tremendous expansion of the pellet industry in the US recently, driven by last year's fuel shortage and increase in price, as well as by the export opportunity. Conventional fuel prices have skyrocketed, all petroleum fuels have increased significantly, and coal prices have tripled to 150 per ton dollar. Since coal makes up about 50 percent of an electric utility's fuel portfolio, consumers will see higher rates for electricity. Pellet plants are utilizing woody biomass (logging residuals, sawdust, bark, and small trees) to produce pellet fuels. Wood pellets, chips, waste paper, cordwood, and other agricultural byproducts are all categorized as biomass fuels.
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