In France, the number of households choosing wood pellets for heating is increasing every year. Thus, in 2024, and according to Propellet, nearly 2 million households have opted for this fuel known to be ecological and economical. While talking with my neighbor who is one of these 2 million households, she explained to me that the prices were very different from those charged when she had chosen her pellet stove. Prices have continued to increase over the past few years, and we don’t know how it will be consumed in 2025. So, why is this energy that was once so affordable becoming more and more expensive? Between taxation, growing demand and environmental issues, I will decipher for you the reasons for this increase… and why, despite everything, pellets remain a wise choice for heating.
An economic and fiscal context under pressure
I won’t teach you anything by telling you that we are living in a very unstable period in France, politically speaking. The “Bayrou Government” was revealed on December 23, and it is already threatened with censorship in January! This does not really help France to maintain a certain stability. But there are also more technical explanations. The first being that taxation has changed, the VAT applied to wood pellets increased from 7 to 10%. Thus, a tonne of pellets now costs approximately €7 more per year. But that’s not all. The cost of the raw material, wood, represents more than 50% of the total production cost. And, we all remember the winter of 2022-2023 when raw materials were absent: 15 kg bags for more than €10! To meet demand, it was therefore necessary to invest massively in new factories, optimize delivery systems, etc. All this inevitably affects the final price.
Another aggravating factor: the timber industry under pressure
In 2022-2023, the pressure was so great that new factories had to be built urgently to avoid massive disruptions. Today, French production exceeds 1.5 million tonnes of pellets per year. Impressive, right? However, this is not yet enough, the Ministry of Ecology had even published a call for projects in 2023, to increase national production. In addition, a problem arises: sustainable forest managementthis is to avoid overexploitation which could prove catastrophic.
Additionally, some power plants now consume huge amounts of wood to produce energy. Add to that the massive importation of pellets from the United States or Canada, and you get a carbon footprint that makes one cringe. Despite these tensions, pellets remain one of the most effective solutions for reducing CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, if prices were to remain more or less stable in 2025, they would never return to their prices before 2022… 15 kg bags for less than €4 are a thing of the past, and it is irrevocable.
Wood pellets remain, despite everything, an interesting choice
Faced with rising prices, one might wonder whether pellets really remain competitive. Spoiler: yes, they are. For what ? First, because pellet stoves and boilers display impressive efficiencies, sometimes reaching 95% efficiency. Then, unlike gas or fuel oil, pellets depend less on international markets and sudden price fluctuations. Even if gas remains competitive in urban areas, it is also subject to regular increases.
In addition, modern pellet appliances allow precise programming, which optimizes each kilo burned. Finally, even with an increase in cost, pellets retain their economic and, above all, environmental advantage: a renewable and less polluting resource. And you ? How much are you charged per ton of pellets? And, in which stores, or from which suppliers? Are you interested in this topic? Do not hesitate to give us your opinion, or to share your experience with us. Please notify us of any errors in the text, click here to post a comment.
